The Kireha Clan tome 1
by Tsuki Gret
Summary: The Kireha clan, known for their awe inspiring kenjutsu. While they are one of the most agile clans, they were destined to fall. Which, fortunately for them, is where I come in. Reborn in what seems to be the Naruto universe, Yasu finds herself knowing a bit more about the future than she ought to. Eventual Tobirama x Yasu (oc), slow burn.
1. Chapter 1

-cover page doesn't belong to me, credits to the owner-

Welcome! This is my first fanfic here, hope you like it.

It's about my OC, Yasu Kireha, and how she dealt with being reborn in this new world.

If you have any questions, or just wanna leave a comment or review, please write them up and send em to me!

Tsuki

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A small note. I tend to use "x" as a symbol to pass time. A singular one would mean a short time (although that depends) has passed, while "xx" means a longer time has passed. Oke great, thanks!

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Chapter 1: Yasu Kireha

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It was a hot mess.

And not in the good kind of way. No, it was in the… squishy, uncomfortable, wet and blind kind of way. With a lot of screaming, an enormous head ache and coldness. And a horrible gut feeling.

x

For, I'm not quite sure how long, I've heard mutters of voices and could barely see. I constantly felt uncomfortable but that didn't seem to matter much because I always felt tired and thus slept constantly. I couldn't keep coherent train of thoughts and basically everything was a mess.

x

There was a moment when I realized, I could finally see and hear well. Well enough. It was then that the constant annoying yelling around me stopped and… I managed to think well. I recognized colors, structures. The sound of thuds on the ground, the small clink of metals and humming from another person. Slowly the mess started to organize itself.

x

It was at 3 months old I realized I was stuck in another body. A new-born, not anymore so wrinkly of a body. Either that or I'm in a very unsettling lucid dreaming session or I'm in some sort of coma. To which both I highly doubt because… well, right after I figured this out, I had a heart attack.

I survived. But not without the help of people groping my body and making me feel extremely uncomfortable. It was as if, by touching and being near me, some bells sounded inside me making me guts twirl in a highly uncomfortable way. Long story short, I realized how much I hated people touching me in this frail body.

x

By the forth month, I could see, hear and smell better. I had tried talking, but that seemed almost impossible with my weak neck, weak mouth and weak everything. So I settled on observing and trying to make sense of everything. I was constantly in this room made of wood in some bed. Ever so often, this boy would pick me up and do toiletries with me. I mostly ignored that all together, both from absolute embarrassment and the uncomfortable feeling I had from him touching me.

This was also the month I started to stretch out my limbs. Seeing how weak they are and what I could possible do. Seeing how I kept stretching my legs and arms, it was about that time people either put me on a blanket in a new area of some sort. I was usually laying down. But slowly and steadily, I have managed to turn around and simply sit down. The boy seemed to be happy about this, much to my pleasure. And then he fed me some garbage dish.

x

I had realized earlier that everyone seemed to be speaking another language. One I was familiar with, but just familiar enough to know which language it was. Japanese. It was then I started to really observe the things around me. And things really did click. How people were dressed, the traditional sorts of houses, even the outside. It was all Japanese-like. I wondered if I was in the country-side, considering I never saw some sort of electrical device. Plus, it looked like we were not poor, me and the boy, since I assumed this is just our house.

By the fifth month, the boy regularly gave me to the same old lady. And old lady that talked way to much, but when she touched and held me, it didn't feel as uncomfortable. She was the only one yet to hold me without being glared at. I think the boy felt a bit exasperated at that and jealous. While the old woman just seemed amused and happy. It was during that month I realized something very crucial.

I knew for a fact that I was in a baby's body. But I never linked it as being "reborn"… or more specifically, "reincarnated". It was then, memories of my past self flowed into me. I was thankful it didn't come as a bang, but more… like a steady flow of information came in my brain. Certain objects, sounds and even tastes made me remember. When I was thinking too much, they gently triggered, making me see clips on my past self. And so began my new goals.

To know who I was, to learn this new language and to learn how to walk.

I soon, also, realized my name. Or well, my new name. "Yasu-chan," the older woman cooed when I started to stare a bit too intensely at my hands. I slowly looked up at her, "Mimi-obaa-chan wants to give you some portage, open your mouth." I glared at her.

I picked up the language faster than I thought. It must have been the constantly blabbing from the boy and Mimi that helped it. Although, I couldn't understand the more complex words. It was then I realized, to understand the more complex words, I would have to ask. And so, when the boy returned, I decided to say my first words. "Ani!" he seemed extremely happy and picked me up. This time, somehow, I didn't feel uncomfortable.

From then on, I repeated what people said to me. It came around as a mess that ended up with Mimi and Shouta cleaning up my spit. Ah yes, the tables have turned with who looked uncomfortable.

By the 6th month, I was crawling around the place. I never said full, or a few words, sentences, but singular words to people. They seemed to understand, so I knew now wasn't the time to start sentences. One night, Shouta came home rather early, the boy who I discovered was my new brother with a bright grin on his face. I was sitting by the low table next to Mimi, half thinking half dozing off.

"I'm a ninja obaa-san!" I looked up at him, recognized a word that often came in conversations but never really understood it. Mimi stood up and congratulated him. He grinned, thanked her and then came to me. He picked me up and pointed at his forehead. It was some sort of metal headband with a symbol in the middle of it. I touched it. It felt cool. "Ninja?" It was about time I asked what that meant. There was a small shine in his eyes and he nodded. He sat down and set me on the table.

"A ninja, Su-chan, is a person that protects family. Because I am a ninja, I can protect you now!" He grinned, making me grin back in response. So basically, like, police? Isn't he too young though? Maybe it's something he'd done at school. "Plus! Ninjas are super cool, they can do crazy tricks, want to see something?" I nodded for the heck of it.

And then he summoned a flame to his hands.

That. That is not normal. Suddenly, a flicker of memory. I looked on his hands, his flames, the signs he did before he summoned the flame and lastly, his headband.

Ninjas. Headband. Fire.

The will of fire. Konoha.

Naruto.

Manga.

Book.

Fictional.

Not real.

x

I thankfully didn't have a heart attack but they thought I was tired with my lack of reaction and I was put to bed. I was in the world of Naruto, a manga I read in my previously life for entertainment… Naruto, huh?

x

Shouta seemed to have the next day free so he took my outside. I had come to terms relatively easy that I was now reborn in a fictional world that I knew a bit too much on. By the symbol on Shouta's headband, I am in a village I have no idea of. But due to his constant talking, I knew. "-bad guys! But that only starts in a year, I need field training first then I can participate in the war as an active member-"

And the war. Obviously, this is not the 4th shinobi war. This place is far too old to be that. This is either the big war against the different clans, or the 1st, 2nd or 3rd shinobi war. In any case, we were a clan/village I had no idea of. Shouta said we were the "Kireha" clan. Never heard of it. And because of that, I am absolutely batshit scared. It means that, sooner or later, we are going to be absolutely massacred. Or I was over reacting. I needed to know which era I was in, and fast…

…It didn't take long. Just, maybe, 2 minutes. "Shouta! Leave your sister and come with us! The Senju and the Uchiha are having a blood party near here, we need to push them off and evacuate everyone to the new area! Fast!"

Everything happened to fast. But I knew in which era I'm in. The very first war between the clans.

The next month was horrible. Apparently the clan had already planned to move, since our territory was far too close to battles, so a new area was waiting for us. But Mimi was stressing out as the whole clan walked next to each other in fear to our new destination. A fifth of the clan didn't come back alive from that fight and Shouta was missing an ear. But slowly, the clan build up again.

But I could never forget the night Shouta came back, his face covered with blood. He simply picked me up and hugged me. I didn't mind the metallic smell or the wetness of everything. But I knew a couple new things. This world is unfair and it hurt my brother.

* * *

So that's the beginning of this new story. I honestly didn't plan for this story to come out, but we'll see.

If you see any mistakes or areas of improvement, please say so! Thanks!

1 - February - 2018

Tsuki


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The training begins

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I decided to speed my progress up.

I knew my clan would get annihilated if the Uchiha or the Senju really wanted to kill us. So obviously, something had to be done. By the 7th month, I started to wobbly walk around. I decided that each of my small achievements would be seen by Shouta and Mimi, to which both have turned quiet lately. While it was a little selfish thought, I thought that maybe my achievements would bring smiles on their faces. Thus, my first steps were walked. My first sentences were talked. My first scrolls were read.

Someone needed to lead Kireha clan, or shove it in the right direction, and no one else could do it, except me.

x

By the time I turned two, I mastered the art of reading hiragana and katakana and was studying kanji. My walking evolved to running which evolved to training.

I had started training when I was 1 and a half, approximately. Mimi couldn't help me, being a civilian and neither could Shouta, being a ninja and all. So, I simply built my agility and strength. Running around in the backyard, which was smaller than the last. In fact, the whole clan was smaller. Both in actual field size and population size.

But there were still kids. Kids, that I didn't talk or interact with. Mimi would take me to people, to which then I knew more people, but nothing more. Then I realized, chakra. I needed chakra. So, one fateful day, Shouta came home. He rubbed my brown hair and sat down at the table.

"How was your day, Su-chan?" he was 9 years old now, and he looked far too old. Far, far too old. I slowly started to despise my world, but especially the other clans. "Teach me how to use chakra, Ani'ue!" he blinked. He looked at Mimi who also walked in.

They both shared a look. He then looked back at me and smiled.

"I'll first explain what it is, ok?" and so came the week of theory. How it was spiritual and physical energy combined. What it is, how it can be used and why it is being used. By the end of that week, he told me do meditate and to "reach" for the chakra. That was extremely vague and I once again glared at it for it. He just laughed and wished me good luck before leaving.

And so, me being 2 years and a few months old, I started to meditate. I realized I couldn't start doing things on the whim, so I made a plan. I would wake up at around 7am, when Mimi would call for breakfast. I would get ready and then eat. After that Mimi would usually stay at home and read, so I could read scrolls about chakra, history and whatever else around her until 10am. Then, she would go outside to gossip, so I could start doing my errands and collect food. I would continue physical training until lunch, which consisted of simply running around. After lunch, I would meditate for three hours, until I would once again run around. Then came dinner, so first I'd clean myself up, spend time with Shouta and Mimi then read.

As the months progressed, I saw development. Firstly, I could detect my chakra. It can along in the first week of focusing mainly on finding my chakra. And funnily enough, the gut feelings I kept on having, was that. The uncomfortable feelings when people touched me, was that, chakra. The more chakra a person had, the more I felt it and thus became more uncomfortable. Hence my first reactions with Shouta and Mimi.

So after that, I read in scrolls Shouta gave me, developing chakra control and chakra reserves. First I needed to be comfortable with it and play with in inside me. Once I was comfortable with chakra, I realized I could sense it practically everywhere. Then came my inside game, to try and recognize everything by merely sensing it. The people, the trees, grass, bugs and funnily enough, buildings. Yes, everything, dead or alive, emits chakra. Just different volumes.

A dead thing would emit little to no chakra. And since the ground is more "alive" then walls, I could detect the difference. But right now, I could just detect people, nothing more. But my fantasies intrigued me and I soon began to dream that I could possibly detect anything. Perhaps I could become be blind one day and be fine with that.

Soon, Shouta showed me different kata's. The clan had 20 in total, 10 beginner ones and 10 expert ones. He showed me all the beginner ones and so I put that in my physical training. Then came by third birthday.

It wasn't rare that random people came home, mostly to talk with Mimi. But this one man, stern face, in his 30's, dark short brown hair, came regularly. And he would come when I would meditate- by then Shouta showed me to the leaf to forehead thing and I could practice with that. It still didn't work, but I tried. By the 10th time in 3 weeks he came over, during my meditating session, the day after my 3rd birthday –which was great, Shouta showed me a new fire technique he was working on and we had my favorite meal, ramen- he was there. Again.

The moment I felt him put his eyes on me, the leaf that just managed to stick fell off. I sighed and looked directly at him from the garden. Our eyes linked. I glared at him. I stood up and walked up to him. "Who are you and stop looking at me."

Mimi sputtered next to the man. "Yasu-chan! Don't be rude, apologize!" I crossed my arms. "Sorry."

The man didn't seem amused by me, but something did shine in his eyes. "Apology accepted young one," he responded and drank a bit of his tea. I broke our stare and sat by the table. "You still didn't answer me."

"Yasu-chan, be nice. This is our leader's brother, Kin-sama. He is the one that teacher the young to become a ninja." So that's why he's come here. I held the urges to ask him to teach me how to actually properly train. "…He… well, he is your birthday gift, in a way, Yasu-chan." So I don't even need to ask, great.

I knew money was a bit tight, that's why they couldn't buy me a gift for my birthday yesterday. But I suppose, I eyed Kin, I suppose this is better than any other gift I'd have. "Show me how to train."

Hah. Be careful what you wish for.

x

Age 5. Kin never held back.

At first he told me all things I was doing wrong, so basically everything. He showed me exercises to do, both for the physical and chakra part. Three times a week he would stay at home for four hours and absolutely kill me.

Apparently, schools weren't a thing. So by the age of 4 I was dumped with books by him and that's it. By age 8 you could take these exams to see if you could become a ninja and such. But no schools, so it was up to the guardian to teach the children how to fight. In my case, Kin and Shouta.

By age 5, I could properly control my chakra and could do different techniques. By then, I realized a few things about the Kireha clan. Or, well, grades I formulated. We were shit at genjutsu and average at ninjutsu. This already means that for these components, we're dead if Uchiha's come. But, apparently, we are amazing at taijutsu. Which came as a surprise, but not too much. I finally saw that my strength came naturally. We were amazing at agility, I saw how Kin could run across the clan in precisely one second. Strength wise, we are also good, but not the best. And our intelligence as a whole is not too bad. I listened and read tactics we formulated. Not bad.

Also, it looked like we specialized in blades as well. A lot had some sort of blade with then, like a katana of some sort. And so, by age 5, my birthday present was a trip to the storage room of the clan. There, Kin allowed me to choose a blade of my own. Katana's were swell and all, but, I felt like they didn't suit me. I didn't feel agile enough.

So, the twin tanto blade it was. Both half the size of a katana, it felt amazing. Kin didn't react too much at my choosing, but if anything, he seemed annoyed. Good. So, then began my kenjutsu.

I also realized a few things by my turning of five years old. The clan.

We were… a soft clan. We were not upstuck like the Uchihas, where everything is done by orders, and if you fail you die. Here, things were warmer. Everyone knew everyone else to some degree, information for disclosed to everyone, and everyone is moreorless treated equally. I suppose it's because of that we will die. Because of that thought, I decided to push myself a bit harder.

I fainted a week after by overstraining myself.

x

They wouldn't allow me to leave the clan to fight when I was 7 years old. I said that my brother fought when he turned 7.

Then they said they couldn't take the chance of me dying, seeing how I had too much potential. I then realized the true intention of Kin being my teacher. To form me just right to become the trump card of the clan. Just like how I wanted. I bent to their will.

* * *

That does it for chapter 2!  
Chapter 3 will have a big time skip, so this is the end of the "childhood arc"

Thanks for reading!

Tsuki


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: First step to survival

* * *

At 19 years old, when I was eating next to my comrades, I realized I spent more than half of my life surrounded by blood, death and more. "Yasu, pass me the fish, would you?" I nodded, passing him the dead, fried fish we caught not too long ago. Surrounded by my 9 members, I briefly thought back of my life… my old one.

I never got to know how I really was. I just knew I was reborn, I knew my morals, and I somehow knew the future. Because of my adult brain, I could comprehend things faster and because of that, I became the trump card of my clan. "Gee- Omo! Stop, you're fat enough as it is!" Complained another member of my squad. I sighed softly, my thoughts now drifted away and I looked my squad members.

Eight of them were older than me and one is two years younger than me. The only reason why one is younger is because he's a medical nin and he's useful. "What the- fat, look at yourself!" Responded Daru. Omo and Daru were constantly bickering, making their potential love for each other so obvious that the whole squad was seriously organizing a marriage for them behind their backs.

I also realized that everyone in my clan had short names. And we didn't really use suffixes. As long as you were close or are directly related to the leader, no suffixes needed. Even if you're the leader of the squad. "Um- leader, do you want some fish? You haven't taken one yet," the 17 years old boy, Juno. Except him, he was shy and so gave the appropriate titles. Even if I told him I really didn't want him to do that.

"No thanks, I'm fine. Eat." I needed my squad at its maximum, I wouldn't allow them to fail because they didn't eat. "You too Yasu! Eat, my god. You're still a child," there was Daru again. I shot him a look to which he just waved off. "You're too serious. Don't think we don't know about how you glared at everyone when you were born," yeah, everyone knew each other a bit too much. I blame the gossips on Mimi. I groaned softly. We were in the middle of a blood battlefield, but it could have been worse.

x

We had been scouting the area, having heard of rumors about strong foes lurking around. A week later, I sensed one of the big four. Possibly the biggest of them all: Uchiha Madara.

We knew some forces were pushing on our territory, and we know it would be the Uchiha. But we didn't know it would be Madara himself that would be taking care of it. Last time we heard, he was somewhere completely different, fighting the Senju.

This is when I knew, this is when the Kireha would have been massacred.

This is where, I made the true difference.

I could sense his chakra miles away. His dark chakra, bloody red. Easily consumed by darkness, but there is a small light. But it's not big enough to help me in battle. I immediately told my squad to stop. "Uchiha Madara and a team of 30, definitely coming our direction to destroy Kireha." I closed my eyes in focus, trying to interpret my data as accurately as possible. The moment I was waiting for. I could feel the atmosphere darken.

I stood up and looked back at my team. "Omo, you are the fastest here. Call in for backup, half of the units at least. If we cannot hold the Uchihas back, we can do one of two things. Fight or evacuate. And we cannot hide, obviously." Their sharingan was terrifying indeed. "So basically Omo, this is plan Y. Tell it to leader-sama."

"Understood." And with that, he was gone. I faced Rane and Toko and passed them 10 seals each. "We sacrificed 13 soldiers for these, activate when deemed worthy or for the signal. Disperse." They both ran opposite direction, preparing the seals. Our tactics unit were killed when we stole seals scrolls from the Uzumaki. Only two came back alive and now one remains alive. Hopefully, the barrier is sufficient to hold the Uchihas back.

The only reason I can think as to why the Uchihas want to fight us now is because our plan failed. We tried to sneak into their base to steal their weapons. It worked, but some of the chakra remained and now this is what brought us. Thankfully, we now had more weapons and knew the plans of the Uchiha. I felt a small smirk crawl up my lips, if anything, we were the real ninjas here.

"At their pace, they should arrive in one hour or more. The first backup should be back in 50 minutes, the second in 1 and half hours and third in 2 hours." I inform the group as I touched the ground. I didn't really need to touch the ground, but Tobirama's stance from the manga made it a habit. Tobirama… I sighed, I shook my head. This is not a fictional world, this is real.

"Polish your blades comrades, it may be the last time you do so." I mumbled, sitting down.

x

Once the backup arrived 48 minutes after I sent Omo, I sent two of them to help the ones with the seals. I stood up. "Daru, Fo, you are to stay with me, we are going to battle now." I stood up and looked at my squad. 50 people, 10 would stay behind so 40 with me.

I don't have a choice but to face Madara by myself. They have back-up for sure, I can sense it. I patted my pouch and then crossed my arms.

"Avoid their eyes at full cost." A few scoffed at me. I didn't know how to make good speeches, everyone knew that.

"Look comrades, we know full well this is not an easy battle. In fact, it will be the hardest one you fill fight in, no doubt. You may die," I looked over all of them. "But stop being selfish assholes and think of Kireha. You're not doing this for you, you're doing this for who you have at Kireha. I'm fighting for Shouta, and then for me at the end. You're doing this for the generations to come, when war has ended and some sort of peace has been established. We are doing this for the future, to conquer the present and to learn from the past. Please, lend everyone your forces and let us fight once more."

The atmosphere cleared up a bit.

"Look at that, Yasu is getting better at speeches," one of them called out.

I stayed quiet and closed my eyes, but couldn't hold back the twitch of a smirk. If it helps the mood, I won't say anything.

x

We ran in the battle field. I could see the glow of red… and Madara in the middle. I breathed in the foul air. This will not be a pleasant fight. The moment we both say each other, we disappeared… and clashed blades. I smirked as I came face to face with him. I could tell his smirk disappeared when I had my eyes closed. "Finally a pleasure to meet you, Uchiha," I said, mockingly elegant. He didn't respond and jumped away while clashing his gunbai with my tanto[1]. The good thing with my sensing is that, I can see from inside your body what sort of technique you'll be preparing. Like here… preparing a grand fireball jutsu, huh?

I immediately coated my tanto's with chakra and ran towards him. Suddenly the fireball came hurling towards me, to which I sped to the right, went behind Madara and went to slice. To which he blocked with his dunbai. "Blind Seeker," he spat. So he has heard of my nickname. "Bloody murderer," I smiled back. I suddenly realized how similar "Madara" and "murderer" sounded.

Within 5 minutes of exchanging hits, I came out with a bloody cheek, cut sides and a bleeding knee. He just has some bruise on his forehead. That was his fault for being an idiot. I sensed Madara's men closing in the forest. The gate, now.

Forming the handseals quickly, I slammed my hands on the ground creating a huge spike of chakra that everyone within the radius, probably also my clan, felt. A second later, the barriers came up. Madara glanced at it. He looked back down at me, "You think you will slow us down?!" he snarled. I looked up and grinned. "What do you think I'm doing, pal?"

Both of our sides were decreasing. And fast. Backups came and the barrier was weakening. I also felt the chakra of Madara's men decreasing and I couldn't ignore all the bodies surrounding us. The field has been stained with the awful red color. I panted slowly and I slid back, going to my knee. Madara was more elegant and just leaned on his gunbai. I'm glad all my training paid off. Even though I am still weaker than Madara. If it weren't for the seals I made before to heal me, I would have been dead a long time ago.

I thought lots of times about retreating. But they were too close. I can sense Shouta lying in hospital, right now, within the clan boundaries. If we retreat, they would follow and kill us all.

Fuck, where are the Senju when you need them?!

"You lose," I hear Madara say. I huffed, pulling myself on my feet. Madara, what a terrifying person. "Not yet, not yet…" I say, getting in stance. I was about to bolt towards him, but suddenly Madara halted and looked at the sky. An eagle. I stayed still, waiting for movement. Suddenly growled and I could feel him glare at me, "You wrench." And with that… the Uchiha's… they retreated.

They all retreated.

Madara retreated.

.

..

I called everyone back 15 minutes after they all left. I stayed with 10 shinobi as an in case with the barriers still up.

We won the battle.

x

Unfortunately, it was just one battle. And I knew a lot more would come, and that fields will be stained with red again.

* * *

[1] a tanto. It's like a katana, but smaller and you can use one hand. Example, Kakashi had one from Naruto Gaiden and I'm pretty sure Sasuke has some in shippuden and Boruto.

And that is it for chapter 3!

I was going to do another big time skip for next chapter, but I thought that would be too much so I'm gonna write a little something.

So, Yasu finally met Madara, hm? Won't be the last time, especially since she's pissed him off. In case you're confused, let me clear some stuff up: this is the moment that changed the canon Naruto. In the canon Naruto, the Kireha clan should have been killed off by Madara right then. But because of Yasu, he's been held back and thus the Uchiha did not manage to massacre the clan. Hence, the Kireha clan is alive! yay

20 - April - 2018

Tsuki


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Kirei

* * *

"We need to move the clan location Keno-sama, the enemies are moving in far too fast."

The last fight with Madara was far too close. It has been a month since my first encounter with the Uchiha head and I suffered from two broken ribs and far too many bruises. I cannot help but think how dead I would be if it weren't for my comrades.

The Kireha head sighed and leaned back in his chair. We hadn't moved places for the clan since I turned 10. I small shiver ran up my back as I remember the memories: Not only was I stressed by the sudden movement in clan, but I also had my first period then. What a wonderful day it way. Thankfully no-one died, but we did sustain damage that day. It seemed to brighten the whole clan up when Keno-sama, the head of Kireha, loudly exclaimed the red stain that appeared on my butt and overall lower regions. It was humiliating, but they all laughed and the heavy and tired atmosphere lifted a bit. Humiliation is nothing if my clan is happy.

"You know all the preparation needed for that. And it's extremely difficult to execute. Our clan grew by 350% since 10 years ago," the head said, stroking his beard. Keno-sama was a nice old man that procrastinated when situations were light enough. We were in a wooden and stone building, the tallest one of the clan area. It was also in the middle of the clan, as the clan area was spread out as a circle. Not far from here are the healing grounds, and we also were not far from the library. Then there would be storage of metals every here and there as well as forging houses and blacksmiths. Towards the outside of the clan boundaries, were wooden walls and five towers that formed a pentagon. So basically, clan boundaries, structure-wise, we were good. That is, until Madara went in my personal bubble... personal bubble being, a 122 km away from my clan official boundaries.

"The Uchihas are too close, it is unsafe. We need to conduct more explorations for potential new clan locations. We need to pull out if this war. The sooner the better." I crossed my arms, staring hard at my leader. This time, it wasn't Keno-sama that responded. "Are you crazy, you want to pull out!? Don't you remember what they have done to us, Uchihas, Shimura and all of rest!? Do you want all those lives to be lost in vain?!" It was Rotu and he seemed to be absolutely against my idea. Just like he usually is.

I glare at him, "War is a useless cycle filled with over consuming hatred. Someone needs to break it and mend past wounds. We can be the first," it wasn't the first time I suggested pulling out of the war. To forget our past with other clans and to leave the whole war. It was hard, especially since so many that took care of me died because of these other clans, but nothing is easy. Especially when hatred is the root of the cycle. "So you're just going to forgive the Shimura that killed Mimi?" I squinted my eyes. I sent him a look. Mimi died three years ago from a Shimura spy. She took that Shimura kunoichi to her grave. It was very honorable and it rained that day. "-or when that bloody Uchiha leader's brother injured Shouta-"

I glared fully at him, chakra alongside with blood lust oozing out of my pores. He shut up but still glared at me.

"Children please, calm down. We are here to talk, not to fight," Keno-sama waved his hand, exasperated by the exchange. I glared at Rotu and stood firmly.

"Ruto," I state. "Sometimes to throw a more effective punch," I look at him directly in his eyes, "you need to step back." There was a silence. I didn't feel comfortable in the room anymore and I wanted out, but I wouldn't leave just yet. I look at Keno-sama, "Leader-sama, let me at least scout surrounding areas. I've talked to my team and we've heard of isolated mountain tops that seemed reasonable. Please consider my proposal, we will discuss more of this later. I'm afraid my IQ gets lower each time I'm in the presence of Rotu," I make sure not to smirk when I see Rotu's eye twitch in annoyance. Keno-sama simply sighs and nods and waves me off. I then look directly at Rotu. "If I ever hear you speak of Mimi or Shouta in such a tone, I'll be extremely disappointed in my clan." With that, I walk off.

x

I breathe in the mediocre air. I close my eyes and sense my surroundings. I quickly locate Shouta and start heading there. Another reason why I wanted to change locations is because I could sense so much from outside the clan boundaries. My chakra sensing went up to around 100km radius around me. I had a theory my sensitivity to chakra came from my reborn status thing. Since in my previous life chakra didn't exist, to suddenly be born where chakra was everywhere is extremely noticeable. So I could sense battles raging far away form me and people's life force leaving them without me being able to do anything about it.

"Ah, Yasu!" I blink and turn around. Soke ran up to me, a small shy smile on his lips. The common dark brown, wavy Kireha hair that he usually wore down until it reaches his shoulder was pulled in a small bun. The Kireha usually had wavy hair, the roots would be dark brown and would fade into very light brown towards the tips. When the light brown color starts appearing changes per person, but Mimi used to say that the older one gets, the more light brown hair they get.

I honestly never understood our hair, so I let it go as some unexplainable anime thing.

"What is it, mr. weapons?" A cool smirk breezes on my lips, my previous argument shoved behind my head. He blushed and started spluttering nonsense. Soke is also a prodigy, and he should be more well known than me. His talent did not come in fighting, it came in creating. He was legendary at making weapons. He's like, 17, and could make most weapons. Since the clan specialized in weapons, but mostly swords and katanas, he could literally make the best swords.

And he had a thing with making swords that are literally twice his size, which is often a bit of trouble to him because he is rather weak.

But to be fair, my clan is weak... ..

"...You're very strong Soke," I say patting his shoulders. He furrows his eyebrows in confusion to me, his blush of embarrassment leaving his face. He then lit up, "Ah! I need you for a moment, follow me please!" I jog behind him as he runs off to his forging house, blacksmith place. He had the largest one of the clan, and with good reason. He was already having students and his work is extremely efficient, so he needed the best quality equipment... which were bigger.

I wave to a few kids that ran past me and entered Soke's workshop. It was quite clean, cloths hung properly and equipment properly put away. I then sighed when I saw Soke designing a huge sword... again. "You do know you need to make it usable?" He looked back and pouted at me. "I know that! A lot of people like my swords..." he looked back and gestured me to look at his blueprints. I sigh in amusement and purposefully avoided making the perfect perverted comment about 'his swords'.

I lean on the table and look at his blueprint... and then I raised an eyebrow. "Wait, is that the Shohi?" I ask, pointing at the darkened line in the middle of his blueprint. He nodded, deep in thought. The Shohi is a black material that can been passed in the clan for generations and generations. It was a long rod, quite strong, that actually consumed blood. Hell, you could touch it and it could drink you up. Another name for it was the Shohi Richi, consumption leach. Not the prettiest name, but it worked.

"You know the metal you found in your last gathering?" He said. I hummed, analyzing his blueprint. I blinked when I read a certain note. I snapped my gaze from his written work and looked straight at him. "That metal is a Shohi conductor?" I whispered, slightly dumbfounded. He nodded and showed me the ore I gave him a week previously. "When this came in contact with the Shohi Richi, it sucked some of my blood," he showed me his forearm. There was a bandaged arm, I could see a line of blood through the bandages. I stared at the metal.

"But when it's no longer in contact, it stops the 'blood sucking' mechanism, but it... it becomes stronger. Just like Shohi Richi." I cross my arms. Well this is fantastic. More blood sucking metals. Before I know it, pieces of stones will kill me. "So what's the plan then?" I ask. He grew a small grin.

"Well, step one. Extract all the metal from this raw ore," he said, holding the ore. "Step two, you need to get me more of this ore." I shrugged, sure, we can never not have enough metals. "Step 3, design a proper model so the sword can grow." I stopped him right then and there. I raises an eyebrow, questioning him. A sword cannot grow... can they? He rolled his eyes at me. "Of course they will grow, they're consuming. I just need to... guide the sword to grow in the right directly. A lot like plants. I actually understand, there are these-" he coughs. "Just believe me," a smirk grows on my face and I nod.

"Step 4, you wield the Kubikiribocho no Wairudogurei."

I stay silent. "...Alright, two questions." He nods and sits down on his chair and starts making a list of things. "First, why do I have to wield a giant, blood sucking, growing sword?" He taps his head with the pencil and puckers his lips. "Well, it suits, doesn't it? The prodigy fighter with the prodigy's sword..." I raise an eyebrow at his reasoning, so he continues, "..and also because you're extremely chakra sensitive, you'll be able to handle it the best. Cannot have a sword that kills the owner." I suppose that makes sense...? "Fine, I need a more offensive weapons anyways... and... the name? 'Kubikiribocho no Wairudogurei?'... 'Decapitating Carving Knife of the Wild Gray?'" That name also founded extremely familiar...

"It sounds cool." I sweatdrop. I guess?

He turns around and sends me a smile. "Please get me more ore! I really need it!" I sigh and stand up. "I need to scout some mountains anyways, we'll make a detour." He thanked me too many times and told me to come by any time to check on the progress. I nod and wave at him as I walk away, telling him good luck. This time, I start walking towards my house, where I can sense Shouta drinking some tea.

Then, a tug on my trousers. I stop and look down... Tenso. I sigh and immediately sense the other kids hiding behind the corner. "What do you kids wants?" I ask. Tenso grins and gestures towards the rest of the kids to come. They all squeal and run up to me. An irritated look blooms on my face and I crouch down to the kids and redo their clothes correctly. "Come on kids, put your clothes on properly. Don't you know how hard it is to get clothes like these?" I say, swiping some dirt off their shirts. The Kireha wore pretty similar things.

Since we valued speed over all, we tried to keep our clothes as close to our bodies as possible. So the basic outfit was some loose pants and bandages attached to the ends and top and usually mid way too so that there would be less air resistance. More often than not, bandages were used as tops. Women would bind their chest with bandages, men could as well but didn't need to, and then they wore a dark cloak that reached the hips. The clothes we wore were pretty unsaturated, so we could easily blend with the background. I wore the typical pants and binded my chest, but I still wore a special metal shirt Soke made me as a protective gear. Then for shoes, it was binded sandals... we were searching for better footwear.

"Yasu, help us with our training!" Remu squealed, taking one arm. I positioned my twin tanto's behind my back correctly so they wouldn't touch the kids. "Kin-sensei is teaching you guys and you all just started to forge. Besides, knowledge is power. Read at the library." They all gave me disgusted looks. Kids will be kids. Tenso grabbed my other arm, "We want to be strong like you! Fast and seeing everything!" I let out a sigh and stand up, pulling both arms up to pull the two brats off the ground. They squeal in excitement and hang on tightly.

I start to calmly walk towards my place. The rest of the kids circle-walk around me. "Please Yasu! Give us tips! Kin is super boring! Bleh!" I laugh, Kin is rather boring. But I bet he's just very tired by there energetic kids. After having someone like me, it's understandable. I sigh when another kid managed to jump and latch on my arm. "I won't be able to walk if you all grab on my arm," I say monotonously. "Liar! You're walking like we're nothing..." I chuckle.

"Ne ne, Yasu, I wanna summon big waterfalls, can we do that?!" I hum a the kid's question. Can you indeed? Kireha weren't exactly known for ninjutsu or genjutsu. We were mainly known for our taijutsu and kenjutsu. This was mainly because of our rather small chakra reserves, it's unwise to directly use our chakra just like it's down for ninjutsu. But we do know the essentials, like walking on water, walls, ceilings. Actually, because of our small reserves, we were quite good at handling chakra, hence the usual chakra coating we used on our weapons. Of course, it was possible to increase our chakra reserve and we could use ninjutsu and genjutsu, we had a few Kireha scrolls on them... but they were not our forte. Me, for example, I couldn't do ninjutsu very well. Or well, I could do small scale ninjutsu's well, but not chakra consuming ones. It was because of my extremely sensitive nature to chakra. But I could easily detect it if someone put a genjutsu on me, which is always a plus.

In was becoming annoying because many compared us to samurais, which we are not. Samurais are strictly binded to swords and are never associated to chakra. While we, very much, use chakra. And we're a lot nicer than them. And more flexible. And open. And simply better.

"Sure you can, but you need to train lots for that," I finally end up saying. "but it's not our forte, you know that right?" He hums, slightly sad. The kids have turned silent then. Looks like that was the question on everyone's mind. I let out a small sigh. I crouch down and drop the three kids that hung on my arms. "Alright kids, I'm going to tell you a secret, alright?" They suddenly lighten up and look at each other in delight. I chuckle and reach behind me to grab one of my twin swords. I hold it in my right hand and hold it horizontally for the kids to see it.

"We the Kireha, are known for our beautiful swords," I begin. I pour some of my chakra in it, making the sword have a blueish glint to it. They all 'woo' at it, as if that was amazing. "We use chakra to coat our swords and weapons. It makes it stronger and sharper." I coat it even more, making my twin sword seem longer and thicker, "For this, you need to manage your chakra well. To balance your energies..." I then close my eyes.

Then I hear a few gasps. I smirk and chuckle.

I open my eyes and I am greeted by my twin sword, coated in light blue by my chakra. But even better, my hand is tinted blue just like my chakra, vines of chakra reached down my arm, beautifully engraving my skin like moving blue tattoos. I keep my hand in front of them and move my left hand to take my twin tanto. They gasp once more when they see that the coating of the tanto stayed in place while the tanto left. It was as if the ghost of the tanto stayed behind in the form of chakra. I grabbed the chakra tanto and stood up.

"We can create with out chakra and solidify it," I whisper to them. I could feel the blue vines of chakra crawl all over my body. It started to reach my cheek. The kids looked at me in amazement. They were speechless. I laugh and immediately cancel it and put my twin back in it's holder on my back. The blue tattoo like vines vanished and the awe struck looks on the kids' faces were swiped off and they immediately started to shout at how they wanted to learn that.

I sported a proud grin and patted their heads. "Once all of your master water walking and the art of creating katanas, I will teach you all. Until then, listen to your teachers."

x

I walked in my house. The sun was setting and I was extremely tired. "Ah, finally home Yasu!" I hear Shouta say. I shrug off my sandals and walk towards the lounging area. I see him there... looking less pale. I smile at him and sit next to him. "Do you need help bandaging Shouta?" I eyes the bandages on his leg and stomach. He shakes his head, "I'm fine, I'm fine." We both stay in silence.

"You know Shouta, I realized something today," I say to him. The lounging area had a low table with mats as seats, but best of all, there was a sliding door to open so that we could access the shared garden. "Yeah?" he says back patiently, a tranquil smile on his face. I hum. "When I showed the kids the clan's bloodline limit," to give context. I was rewarded with a gentle smack of paper to my head. I look at him and see him have an amused look on his face, "You're not allowed to show kids the bloodline limit until they finish the first phase of training," he lightly scolds. I smirk and shrug.

"They would have figured it out anyways," I say.

"While everyone in this clan is quite different," I start, "it's amazing how harmonious we are. Sure, we have our arguments and different specializations... and while I can say our bloodline limit it beautiful... as corny as it sounds..." I smile, "I kind of think Kireha as a whole is beautiful..."

I laugh and an embarrassed blush appears on my cheeks, "Do you think that's why the word 'kirei' sounds so close to 'Kireha?'"

* * *

Lets clear stuff up.

First. Kirei [Japanese] = Beautiful [English] (apparently it means neat as well... ok)

Second. "If I ever hear you speak of Mimi or Shouta in such a tone, I'll be extremely disappointed in my clan." Why is she disappointed in the clan, and not just Rotu? It makes more sense to blame his stupid behavior on him, right? Well consider this. If the whole clan if blamed for the doings of one person, that one person will feel 219470 times worse, because people got dragged in his problem. And the fact that Yasu, the prodigy, is disappointed in him, is a pretty huge deal.

A chapter to give more context about the Kireha!

21 - April - 2018

Tsuki


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Famine

* * *

I huffed, letting the sweat drip down my chin.

The clan was on the verge of being stuck in the devastating hole called the famine.

I pushed the wooden vehicle some more, my arms straining and aching.

Rumors went around and said that Hashirama Senju got sick, which let to him cursing the grounds to the point that all that grew were rotten fruits and vegetables. I scoffed at that, knowing that Hashirama had no play in this turn of events. If anything, he'd want to flourish the world is a garden of flavorful greens. But still, it was horrible, nothing of value seemed to grow. I had the inkling it had to do something with the tailed beast.

I had no actual proof. But a month ago, I had a gut wrenching feeling and my chakra tingled. Nobody noticed, but I sensed the chakra of the air was in a frenzy for a while until they were absolutely still. Stiller than usual. And then, it seemed like the nature around us got chakra sucked out of their system and away. Into, I theorize, a tailed beast. But I have no actual proofs. Well, in any case, they're fucking up major things because food started becoming scarce. It was already scarce enough before of the war, but now...

At least there's all this food now. I push the vehicle some more. I was with five other of the Kireha and we were 10 km away from the clan's boundaries, so we were almost home. We had good relations with some villages, so we asked for some provisions. They all gave us a a percentage of their food, for which we were extremely grateful for. Most weren't ninja villages, so a lot of them counted on us in case if bandits were to infiltrate them. Looks like our good deeds paid out in the end. So we were given 10 big bags of rice, with two crates of fruit and four crates of vegetables.

I can sense the whole clan from here and I let my teammates push the food to themselves as I went to secure the area. They grunt in acceptance and I walk away from them. I let out a long sigh and run to the lake nearby. I needed a breather away from the clan. To think properly. I stand next to the clear lake and sit by the water. I gulp as I put my hand to my head. We didn't have enough food. I clench my eyes shut, do a bit of math Yasu, think, think...

For one person to live properly, they need 50g of uncooked rice per meal. So that's 150g of rice per day. And there's around 1322 people in Kireha... so, rounding that up to 1400 people in Kireha, we need 210,000g of rice per day, or 210kg. I clench my hair and huff. Alright, and each bag that we collected has 50kg of rice. That means we now have 500kg of rice. Which means we'll run out of rice in not even three days. I remove my hands from my hair and use my fingers. Ok, so what if we cut down 150g of rice per day to 100g? That means, per day, 140kg will be consumed. That doesn't even last a full four days. But with the vegetables and fruits and some people not consuming as much, we should last a full week. I scratch my neck. And we will have a bit of remaining food.

I pull out a scroll from my pouch and trace a few villages. There were still a few villages towards the west we could try to go to. We have helped them a few times... and we could trade some weapons to some villages as well. I scowl at how easy the Senju clan probably has it now, with Hashirama. And the Uchiha, with their massive chakra storage.

I blinked as I glided my finger over a certain area.

...would the Akimichi clan help us? I furrow my brows. It would be extremely risky to go there... but it ensured that they have food. Their bloodline limit depends on it. So they would for sure have a solid income of food. And we never fought each other. Our relationship with the Akimichi was rocky at worst. When we crossed paths, we ignored each other, we never actively helped each other... but to be fair, the Kireha clan is a pretty distant clan towards other ninja clans. While we are close inside the clan, we never really talk outside the clan. I put my hand to my chin, thinking. We could't carry on asking villages for food and we can't trade all of our weapons to villages...

Maybe it's about time we got solid allies.

x

"That's a horrible idea! They'll betray us the first moment they see fit!" I shoot Roku a glare and look at Keno-sama. He's just stroking his beard, which makes Roku groan in frustration. "You _really_ can't be considering this!" Keno-sama just hums at his complaining and looks at me. It was a very well known fact that if anything, I was considered introverted and by extension, I didn't like socializing a lot. So if possible, I avoided all interaction with anyone. That included interactions within the clan as well. The closest person I'm with is Shouta, my brother. Then there's also Soke, mostly because we're both prodigies and we took comfort with each other because we didn't have high expectations of each other. But other than that, I'm not exactly close to other people.

So that the fact that I suggested to have allies was... a bit unnatural. Mostly desperate though.

Keno-sama gave me a nod, "I will talk about it with Kin, dismissed." Roku and I said goodbye to the head and we walk out of his office. We both stand still outside and stay still. I let out a sigh and massage my forehead. I look at Roku, "I heard you got some good smokes. Care to share?" I ask. He blinks and looks at me with widened eyes. He doesn't say anything for a few seconds until his eyes soften and he gestures me to follow him. "Got some in my house, I also got some good sake." I give him a wry smile and fall in step next to him. We're both silent. I'm too tired to talk anyways. I rub my eyes, I want to sleep but I can't. These thoughts keep me awake. How many kids will be malnourished? How many will fall just because they didn't have food? How can I do better? Why am I not better?

Before I knew it, I was drinking and smoking with Roku. We still didn't talk, but we communicated in our silence.

The smoke had filled the room and it eased my mind. I knew it wouldn't last for long, but just to keep me sane for a bit longer. And the sake made me think less and made me think of the good things in life. I left his house in a better mood and selfishly oblivious to what was happening around me. Just for tonight. Just a small outlet before I need to worry once again.

x

Roku leans against his door, looking at Yasu's slumped form as she walked towards the house she shared with Shouta. Roku puffed out the smoke of his mouth and his lips were tugged into a frown. Maybe he's been misjudging her. How old is she anyways...? 21, if he remembered right. She was half his age... even younger. And yet, she's drinking and smoking like someone his age. And he knows she's seen the same things he has, those dull eyes were proof enough. His eyes lazily swooped the streets until they landed on the lit office of his clan leader... he let out the final drag on his smoke and walked towards the lit office.

x

I opened my eyes, looking at the wooden ceiling.

Another day, another push, another battle.

I take the covers off me and sit up from my thin futon. My stomach is eating itself out. It's emptiness is not the worst pain I've felt, but it sure is messing up my head. I grunt and stand up, getting ready for the day.

Once done with dressing, I walk to the kitchen and started washing my and Shouta's portion of rice. Barely 70 grams. That should be the normal portion for one person. I scowl and light the fire and start cooking the rice. All the vegetables and fruits were for the children, hence the reason we didn't have any. After who knows how long, I sense the rice being done and stop the fire. I wait for the rice to cool down. Once cooled down sufficiently, I place it all on a plate and scatter a bit of salt on it. I place it on the table in the dining room and fetched some water from the container on the street. I take my share of water in my kitchen and put some water in a glass. I send a small spike of chakra, meant to wake up Shouta. I feel him drowsily wake up. I smile softly and fetch some medicine from the cabinet and put it next to the water filled glass.

Nodding at the still steaming rice and overall set up, I put on my usual smaller jacket and walk out of my house the moment Shouta walks in the dining room.

I run out of the village with two large containers. They were used for water, and they were empty so I took it to myself to fill them up. There was a river a few kilometers away from the clan's inner boundaries, it's where the clan took the water. I fill the containers to the brim and use the fresh water to wash my face. After sensing it to make sure it didn't seem to be manifested with a disease, I drank a bit. I sighed... I stood up once more and, with the water filled containers, I went back in the clan. I do the voyage a dozen of times until a few other people volunteer and I let them do the rest of the container filling of the clan.

The sun has risen already and people have started filling the streets. I take this time to train a bit.

If Madara's latest encouter meant anything, it was that he was getting more powerful by the second and I couldn't let him run too fast ahead of me. I went behind the clan's inner boundaries, where many people used as training grounds, and pulled out my twins. I needed to improve my speed with my twins. I had to be fast, like the wind. I smile, like my chakra element, become the wind and slice like it. I ignore the aching of my stomach and continue to slice the air, each time, each slice a bit faster than the last.

x

The sun was right in the middle of the sky when I felt someone come up to me. I look behind and see Roku. I stop my training and pant slightly, "What is it?" I say immediately. "Keno-sama's calling, it's about yesterday's talk." I swipe the sweat from my forehead and nod. "Alright, let's go." We both walk slowly there, to let me cool down from my training. Once we arrive at his office, I was no longer panting or red. With a single knock, I walk right in. Roku follows suit and we both take our usual positions. Me to Keno-sama's right and him to his left. Keno-sama nods at us and leans back on his chair. "I have thought of what to write in the letter. Tell me if I should change it, or else it will be sent as said." I blink. "Letter? Keno-sama?" I asked confused. He looks at me, glances at Roku, and nods.

"Roku and I talked and we came to the conclusion that being allies with the Akimichi would be beneficial, albeit risky. Is this alright by you?"

I blink and nod, and look towards Roku slightly flabbergasted that he actually agreed with me. He ignores me and gestures to Keno-sama to say the letter.

Keno-sama does as such. Roku and I suggest a few things to be different, to sounds nicer and less manipulative. We announced how we should become allies, they would trade food for our weaponry. And that we would support them if they ever deserve it, at the condition they give us food. Half an hour later, a bird took the letter and it took off to hopefully the Akimichi. I clench my fists into each other. We needed food, let them answer positively, please.

x

The food is getting reduced at a faster rate. The elderly of the clan have been bedridden, as well as a few other adults. Three have died so far this week... so 52 people have died since the famine officially started. We are all thankful that the children are fine. It's been over a week since we have sent that letter off to the Akimichi, and no news so far. From what I hear, there have been less battles but more infiltrations. Doesn't surprise me, battles are too energy consuming in this famine. There have been a couple attempts on ninja's trying to sneak in out territory, but they've all either been scared away or killed by us.

I suddenly feel a new spike of chakra. Another spy? I close my eyes on concentration... no... it's... My eyes open in surprise and I run towards the chakra source. I look up... a white bird with a blue streak on it. I whistle to it and it swoops down towards me and lands on my extended arm. It coo's at me and I take the letter attached to it. I look at it, "Follow me, kind one." It seems to nod and it flies next to me as I run towards Keno-sama's office. I hurriedly knock and I enter. He's there, talking with Roku and Soke. They all halt mid discussion.

"The Akimichi have responded." They all send each other a look to talk about their discussion later and I hand Keno-sama the letter. I stand in between my clanmates, slightly anxious. I see Keno-sama read it first... and he slumps back on his seat, relief radiating off him. A smile twitches on my lips. He starts reading.

"Dear Kireha clan,

It comes as a surprise to us that such a secluded clan as yourself would seek for help from other clans.

While we never have fought, we have never been on the same side as well. This, unfortunately, makes us extremely wary of you.

I would like to have a fair exchange on fair grounds. Bring a fine weapon with five of your clansmen and we will bring a kilogram of food with five of our clansmen. Details will be discussed by the lake of Shihi village, the day dawn after the full moon.

Regards,

Chochuko Akimichi."

We stay silent... I... I don't know if they are conscious of the fact that they seem very naive. I settle my mind that they are and nod at the letter. "This is fantastic. Shihi village is a three days from here and it is rather secluded there, so there's a very low chance we'll bump into anyone but villagers," I say. Roku nods at me, "The full moon comes in four days, so the team should set out tomorrow." I nod back and look at Keno-sama. "What do you think, leader-sama?" I ask, and he hums.

"It is well."

That confirms it. "The best team would be Kin, Kopu and I. Kin would negotiate, and I would be there to back up if needed. I will scout for the team, Kopu is the best fighting wise and Kin will be able for strategies. What do you think?"

Keno-sama simply smiles at me and nods, "Sounds good, Yasu." I can tell by the twinkle in his eyes that he's thinking something that he already hinted at many times before. I glare at him and shake my head ever to slightly. I look back at Roku and see him with crossed arms. "I will need you to manage new dealings with the remaining villages around us. Akimichi may be helping us now, but it will take time. We still need more food, you'll be the head of that operation." His eye twitched but he nods nonetheless. I then look at Soke, "Give me the second best sword." He nods accordingly.

Now I only hope everything runs smoothly.

x

I've never talked, in my entire life, so casually and so friendly with an outsider. When we met them, they weren't smiling. They were professional shinobies and I knew that if we made one wrong step, the whole situation would end up in a fight. In which both sides would lose. And they were sneakier than presumed. We had shown each other the promised goods. We shown them one of our finest blades while they've shown us their goods. In the letter, it had said they would bring just a kilogram... but they had brought 60 kg.

The Kireha group at that point, profusely sweated. Why did they bring so much more? Should we have brought more? When Kin said we just had one blade to offer, the Akimichi grinned. 'Good,' he had said, 'it was to test if you brought more than necessary. If you did, we would have known you were not cooperating.' It was a smart way to trick us, but it was naive to have it explained it to us. We smiled politely at them and gracefully accepted the food they offered.

The conditions were then made.

We had to supply them with a hundred swords and 20kg worth of other smaller weapons a week while they would give us 3,000kg of rice and 500kg of meats, vegetables and fruits a week. And interestingly enough, they said that we should never harm, under any conditions, the Nara or Yamanaka. It was nice to see that the three clans already bonded so closely.

Of course, then came the 'if you need help, we'll come. If we need your help, you come,' ordeal. To say the least, we were all extremely happy with the exchange. This exchange guaranteed 2.5kg of food to everyone per week. It still wasn't perfect, but it was much better than what we had before. Things were finally looking better...

xx

Four months have passed since the first meeting with the Akimichi. For the first months, we have been thoroughly checking the food to make sure it was not laced with poison. But now we have been checking half halfheartedly, knowing that the Akimichi wouldn't poison us now. I was eating some rice with Shouta when I felt a spark of chakra at Keno-sama's office. I furrow my brows, "Sorry Shouta, there's an emergeny." I finish my rice and run towards the office. I don't knock and walk right in. It looks like they were waiting for me.

"The Akimichi demand back up, they have been battling with the Kohaku clan for two whole days. Gather 15 men, you are to leave to the Sgune mountains now."

My eyes narrow. "Understood, we are off."

x

It took us four hours of pure sprinting. We had started to slow down when we were 10 km away from the destination. "From what I can tell, they are all extremely tired and many are injured from both sides. But the Akimichi are being pushed and they are outnumbered. There remains 36 Akimichi and 59 Kohaku." From what I knew, the Kohaku were... alright fighters. They weren't nearly as good as the Uchiha or the Senju. Which, in extension, must mean the Kireha could push them off easily.

"First secure the Akimichi. Us ten, we will battle the fighting Kohaku shinobi while the rest will remove any alive Akimichi away from battle. Remove any losing Akimichi and fight the adversary... and don't die," I say offhandedly, knowing my clanmates could handle this. We arrive from the Akimichi's side. We don't stop to alert them that we're here, knowing that time is scarce. So we all run past them, scaring a few in the process and we all head straight to the blood filled field. I make sure to close my eyes before entering the whole ordeal and push back the leader of the Kohaku.

He seems surprised and his chakra seemed to suddenly cool down, as he recognized who we are. "K-Kireha..." he stuttered. I smirk, "Yes?" I kick him away with my feet and take out my twins. He shakily holds his own sword and I run up to him. He managed to block one attack, but he is too slow to do anything about the kick I aimed towards his neck. He falls to the ground with a grunt and I place my foot on his neck to make sure he wouldn't move. I don't know him, neither do I want to know him, but maybe the Akimichi would have some use of him alive. I hum and slam the side of my hand to his neck, knocking him out. I don't care and kick him towards the Akimichi's side of the terrain.

I turn around and see my clansmate with a few Akimichi still fighting the Kohaku. Time to help some more.

x

After half an hour, the table have completely turned and only nine people Kohaku clan remained. They fled, knowing they wouldn't be able to win.

While my two of my clansmen secured the area, I sensed all bodies for signs of life. The Kohaku I found that were still alive I killed and the Akimichi I found that were alive, I carried back to the medical area the Akimichi made. In the end, there actually were 41 Akimichi still alive. I had misjudged when I was running towards the battle, since a couple of the Akimichi were on the verge of death. I looked at my clanmates and the most damage I sensed one of them sustain was a harmless cut on the forearm. I nodded at them, proud of my people.

I located the leader of the Akimichi team and walk to him. "Hello Akimichi-san, we are glad that no more damage was done. We hurried as fast as we could when we received your message, we hoped we weren't too late." He looks down at me and nods. I'm amazed at how big all of these Akimichi are and I wonder how much food they eat daily. If I remembered correctly from my former life, they could die if they don't remain as big as they usually are. "You arrived much early than expected. We appreciate your help. We would have all been dead if it hadn't been for you and your team," he says. I show him one of my smiles. "Then we are glad as well."

We fall in silence and I regard the injured men. "If you want to, we can escort you to a certain area. You all have dealt with much damage, it would be a shame if more shinobi came to finish you off," I don't try to be gentle with my words. He doesn't flinch and my words and looks at his shinobis in thought. I knew he didn't went me to know where his clan was located, and he had definitely heard of my phenomenal chakra sensing. But he needed to get the injured back as possible before they died. He looks back at me. "We accept, we will tell you when your help is no longer needed." I nod and cross my arms.

"Then we'll carry the most injured. Please inform your shinobi of the current situation." We nod at each other and I walk back to the my clanmates who were just looking around. They all straighten up when I walk up to them. "We are to escort them for a way to ensure their safety. Carry the ones who are most injured. Us three," I point to Kopu and Fucho, "will circle the group to ensure their safety." They all chorus a 'hai' and twelve of them go towards the Akimichi and talk to the medical shinobi to carry the most injured. I look at Kopu and Fucho, "triangle formation. I take the front, you two take the back." I say to them both accordingly and they both nod. I hear the leader shout to his men and they all scurry to stand. My eyes remain closed, ever since the beginning of the battle, and I walk towards the front of the group. I gesture to the Akimichi and we begin walking.

x

They were extremely slow.

I don't know if they were slow to Kireha standards, but they were still very slow nonetheless. Even if they had this many injured people. We were on the third day of walking back to their compound when I felt a presence 95km from the group. I furrow my brows and face towards the left of where we were facing. The Akimichi looked at me, "If there someone?" he asked, a tinkle of urgency in his voice. I stay silent, trying to recognize the people... they felt calm. There were eight people... but...

I hum, "I sense eight Yamanaka to the East North. Would you like me to inform them of you?" I ask him. He blinked and grinned. We were now walking in a plain that had few patches of green and it was mostly dried up yellow grass everywhere. There were few trees and bushes. "That was would fantastic! Tell them to join us, here, as proof that you were sent from me," he gave me a small ball... that looked like food, but it seemed rather disgusting. "My name is Chun Akimichi and tell them that it was very good!" I try not to show my confusion. A... special code? I nod nonetheless and put it in my pouch. "I will be back as soon as possible," I inform him. I appear to the back of the group and put my hand on Kopu's shoulder, "Go to the front. I have a message to send to the Yamanka I sensed 95 km East of here," with no further confirmation from her, I sprint towards the Yamanaka I sensed.

x

It took around an hour to get to them. I slowed down when I was a kilometer from them. I made my chakra rise up, to make sure they were aware I was there. I sensed that they stopped walking, probably to see what was going on with me. I noticed the chakra influenced bird that glided over me, surely one of the Yamanaka too control of the bird with their mind control jutsu. Soon enough, they could see me and the strongest looking one walked towards me. "Kireha," he said coldly. I nod, "Hello, Yamanaka-san," I greet. He doesn't say anything, probably extremely wary of me, so I tell him everything. "The Akimichi were battling the Kohaku. They sent a distress call so we came and helped them. They have sustained a lot of damage. We are currently escorting them to an area before their boundaries," I take out the food ball thing and show it to the Yamanka, "This was given to me from Chun Akimichi, he said 'it was very good'." With that, I stay silent while the Yamanaka was looking at the food ball.

He then let out a sigh and I could tell from his now calmed chakra that he lessened his tenseness. "Those Akimichi," he says almost fondly. He looked at his team and nodded at them. He looked back at me, "We will take over your escort, please lead the way, Kireha-san." I nod and sense the other Yamanaka, wanting to fully register the type of chakra the Yamanka has. I survey the area to make sure no one was around and nodded to myself when I deemed it safe. I gesture to the Yamanka with my head and start running.

We took three hours to arrive to the Akimichi and by then, the sun has fallen and I could tell they started camping. Ten minutes before arriving, I sensed a Kohaku lurking around. I scowl and stop running. The Yamanaka halt beside me. "Something wrong, Kireha-san?" the leader asked. "Three Kohaku traced behind the Akimichi. They are hiding their chakra quite well." I look at the leader, "Continue forward, I will meet you at the camp once I finish handling them." I say and before I start running he comes next to me, "Do you acquire assistance?"

If I had my eyes open, I would have blinked in a dumbfounded manner. "...No thank you. I can tell you are all quite tired by the running, please hurry to the camp." And with that, I run off to where I sensed the Kohaku.

x

I arrive at the camp, spiking my chakra for everyone to know I arrive. I throw the two Kohaku to Fucho. "Rope them," I order and he quickly takes out rope from his pouch and ties the unconscious shinobi tightly together. I scan over my clanmates and see that they are a bit tired, but fine nonetheless. I nod at them, "Rest up. We are leaving in thirty minutes. It should take us four hours of running," I say to them all. They all nod towards me and at that, I leave to go see Chun Akimichi and the Yamanaka I had spoken to. They end their discussion when I approach and they face towards me. I notice idly that Chun's chakra seems more at ease now that the Yamanaka are here.

"I located two Kohaku. I don't know if you wish to keep them, but for now they are roped and unconscious," I say, gesturing towards the unconscious men. I notice how the injured Akimichi seemed to be fine as well. "Thank you very much Kireha-san. You're saved us quite a lot," Chun Akimichi says, his chakra vibrant. I don't need to open my eyes to know he's grinning. I smile ever so slightly. "Anything for allies, Akimichi-san," I say back. I could tell the Yamanka was looking at me curiously. I don't know if it was his first time interacting with a Kireha, but if his curious chakra says anything, it probably is.

"Do you want our help any further?" I direct the question to Chun Akimichi and he shakes his head. "We should be fine with our Yamanaka now," he slaps the Yamanaka's back far harder than needed that made the Yamanaka sputter. The action causes a smirk to crawl up my lips in amusement. "I see. If that's the case, we'll be going. My clanmates are growing tired." I recall the weird food ball he gave me and wonder if I should give it back. It's a bit gross to give food back, one that I touched and put in my pouch. I decide to give it to Roku later to mess with him. "Please be careful on the way back. Do not hesitate to call the Kireha for help," I nod at them. "Likewise, has a safe trip!" The Akimichi grins and I smile ever to slightly and walk back to my clanmates. They were talking silently to each other.

I let out a sigh when I come up to them and they look at me with a small smirk, "Finally socializing, hm?" One of them teases and I glare at them and nudge him. "Sure. Pack your things, we're leaving in two." They all sigh, not wanting to say that I had previously said they had thirty minutes to relax.

When we started to run back, I grew... happier. Sure, it was a hassle to help them. But... this kind of relationship with other clans. It seemed so great. Peace seemed to be within reach, for once.

* * *

woohhhhoo this is the longest chapter so far!

Short summary: Famine hit, and there's little to not food. The Kireha try to survive off surrounding villages, until Yasu decides that becoming allies with the Akimichi (Choji's clan) is a good idea as they probably have lots of food. And so, they become allies. The Kireha can finally eat somewhat sufficiently. Of course, being allies comes with consequences, hence the Kireha helping the Akimichi fight.

So, new allies. Nice nice  
Man, this is getting kinda optimistic... maybe I need to change things up a little..?

14 - May - 2018

Tsuki


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Fatigue

* * *

I rubbed my eyes, my eyes extremely dry and far too tired for this shit. It has been five weeks since we've been out of the clan boundaries and we were heading back now. If things go accordingly, we should be arriving in two days... or three days with how tired my group is actually.

After the encounter with the Akimichi, they gave us a bigger portion of food. Which make the clan a lot happier, because the famine was hitting hard. One the the villages around our clan boundaries got deserted, and some of the other villages started to completely die out. Although, with more food that the Akimichi gave us, they demanded our help for fighting even more. They were usually smaller fights, so we easily helped them. We rarely asked them for help in fighting. In fact, in terms of on terrain help, they helped us carry some ore we found on a mountain and they helped us fight off some bandits, but that's it. Since we started helping the Akimichi more directly, we have become unofficial allies with the Yamanka and Nara as well. They didn't trust us fully, but these things started out slowly. Baby steps.

I briefly look back and send out a small wave of chakra around me, sensing that everyone is here. All nine other members of my group. We were currently running through a thick forest, shadows covered us with occasional small beams on sunlight. I could sense my group being very tired so I slowed down until I stopped running. I looked back at them, "We'll rest for half an hour. Then, no more breaks until we reach our boundaries," I say to them. They let out a wave of relieved sighs and most sit on the ground. I cross my arms and close my eyes, trying my best to scan my the area surrounding us, in case of enemies.

Due to the lack of supply and how much longer we've been out of the clan, we were all extremely tired and lost a lot of our chakra. In result, that also meant that my chakra sensing decreased significantly. Where my usual radius of chakra sensing is 100 km, it's now just 20 km... I probably shouldn't have given all of my food to my teammates. Not to mention, the more we ran, the slower we got. I've sent a messenger bird to the clan, telling them of the situation and status. If we got lucky, there would be an escort team with us in a couple of hours. To secure us.

I sighed and looked down at my pouch. The reason we were out of this mission was to localize ourselves with the new potential clan area. We had found a great area on top of a mountain. There are no clans near, it seemed that no one knows of that and there is a very dense forest at the base of the mountain in which we could lay many traps for enemies. It was exactly what the leader as looking for, what I was looking for, basically what everyone was looking for. The only downfall is that it's very far away, so trips will have to be made to carry Kireha from the old clan boundaries to the new one. I patted my pouch and looked over my teammate, who fell in quiet talk. I had managed to get some of that ore that Soke wanted, so hopefully he's happy with that. I couldn't endanger my teammates more though, so we didn't go towards the detour I had previously wanted. But I had sensed a few caves near the mountain, so Soke just had to be patient.

I suddenly tense up, my chakra flaring ever so slightly. My teammates turn quiet and look at me. I look towards the North East side... yeah, no mistaking it.

"The Uchiha are heading towards this direction," I tell them. They all tense up. I crouch and put my hand to the ground, trying to sense more... That is Madara coming this way, with three others of his clan. They were heading a bit west compared to where we stood, but he would definitely be able to sense up... especially with that speed... I have to distract him.. but will I be enough? "Kupo, stay with me. The others..." I give them all a stern stare, "please run as fast as possible to the boundaries." There was a silence, my team looking at me with softened eyes before they nodded and all ran past me and Kupo. I stayed quiet. Was this finally the moment I would...

I looked at Kupo and her at me. "As the strongest of the group, we are to keep the rest alive. Do you understand that?" I ask her, and she nods. "Hai, I understand Yasu." I nod back. "Come on, two. Let's head towards the North West then," I say and start to run at a lower than average speed, "Hai, one."

x

I like lots of things about my clan. It ranged from how open people are with each other, the familiarity, the dedication and loyalty they instantly had. Another that I found quite nice, was the anonymous-ity the clan has. When outside and engaging with an enemy, our names as never spouted out. Thus, no one except those in the clan knows of my name, or my leader's name. Instead, we use numbers. Since I was the leader of the clan, I was usually 'one' while the other numbers would be numbers randomly selected.

It was small things like that that really made me appreciate my clan.

I could sense Madara's chakra flare in anger at a precise moment. If I were to take a guess, it would be that he sensed me... also because he was heading straight towards me. I immediately blocked his gunbai with both of my twins so that we were face to face while I heard Kupo stop behind me as I also sensed the other Uchiha's stop behind Madara. To my surprise... he seemed tired. His chakra reserves seemed to be lower than usual... and his left arm appears to be injured, there's not as much chakra going in there compared to the rest of his body. I can hear him huff in annoyance, "You damned wrench," he spits.

"Got into a small fight before meeting little 'ol me, Madara?" I ask, my mouth twitching in a smirk as I can feel his anger towards me for addressing him so familiarly. Well, injured or not, he's still extremely strong so he managed to push me back. I jumped back to go with the momentum and landed on my feet. Before I knew it, he was right in front of me again but I blocked it with my twin. I ducked down and went to kick his leg but he jumped in. He turned around midair and went to slam me down with the gunbai, but I quickly dodged to the left, avoiding the gunbai and wind that came with it. He made a small crater but quickly followed me towards the left.

With my fatigued state, I didn't have much power.

So I had to use the blood line limit.

I went fully offensive and swung my twins towards his neck, which he dodged and went to slam me with his gunbai. But I jumped up and on his gunbai and used his momentum to kick his left shoulder, where I assumed his wound would be. His chakra spiked ever so slightly and he retreated. He jumped back while I landed on the ground. We both took a single breathe.

His hands flashed as he made a multitude of hand signs while I concentrated on my twins. My skins was quickly covered with the blue vines of chakre that came from my hand. I put the twins away quickly and grabbed the enhanced chakra twin swords. He made the grand fire ball jutsu. Being too close to me, I couldn't dodge it. So with my chakra sword, I cut through the fire ball. Quickly following my line of interception, once I saw the other side of the cut fire ball, Madara was waiting for me with a another jutsu. The Dragon Flame release.

I clenched my teeth as I spun as fast as possible, expanded my chakra sword twins until it's limit.

Once my chakra sword twins touched his dragon flame release, it ignited an explosion.

My chakra swords require a lot of chakra balancing. This means, I need to balance out the yin and yang of the chakra. A good sword is not defined by the quantity of metal is contains, but by the quality. Similarly, my chakra sword gets better once the yin and yang have the best type of quality when put together. Now, especially with chakra swords, there is a limitation to this. The better the quality the chakira sword is, thus the better the yin and yang is balanced, the less chakra it should contain. Exactly like how the more chakra the sword has, the less balanced it will be, thus making the chakra sword big but extremely blunt, light and not dangerous at all... so what happens when an extremely balanced sword comes in contact and accepts a jutsu of extremely high chakra?

Well. The sword breaks, releasing an amplified amount of energy, thus creating an explosion.

The blast threw me back, pushing me against the ground. I flipped over, putting myself to my feet and stopped myself from moving my digging the tips of my feet into the ground. I avoided touching the ground with my hands. I did not need to see them to know that they were completely burnt, red and probably bleeding. I place one of my knees on the ground to keep my balance and keep in the sounds of pain that I want to let out. An explosion of fire is bad... but one of fire and chakra is definitely worse.

I yelled at myself mentally, saying that what I did was the worst idea I came up with in my entire life... I sensed around myself, and felt that Madara also dealt with quite a lot of damage. I also note that Kupo wasn't affected too much by it and jumped to my side. I used far too much chakra for that, I was could feel my life force slowly being drained from me. I could only sense what I could see if my eyes were open, which is not a lot at all. Madara stood up, having crouched on the ground to keep his balance as well. I needed to see what he would to for my next course of action. It was clear him as his men were also tired and injured... so if only they would retreat..

But from his firm stance, it doesn't look like it.

I also stand up, my arms shaking in pain. I concentrate once more, this time a chakra blade was attached to my arm as a whole, since I couldn't hold anything. Everyone stayed still. He held his gunbai with his right hand only. At the exact moment we were about to run at each other... the ground shook. My first thought was an earthquake... but the ground emitted... chakra. My senses almost came as an overload as trees and roots suddenly came out of the ground, destroying the makeshift terrain the Uchiha, Kopu and I made during our battle.

I took a step back, recognizing the newcomer very easily but never having been so close to it before.

Hashirama Senju.

If Madara wasn't angry before, he sure is now.

I'm trying to keep in my terrified state hidden inside me because the god of shinobi is right there and in my state, he could kill me instantly.. maybe I can push Madara to focus solely Hashirama, and Hashirama on him? I can sense Madara thinking, judging by how the chakra inside him is swirling in a mess. He doesn't know how to win this fight. Neither do I. But I do know how to avert this fight so that I can flee. As Hashirama was assessing the situation, I decided to strike. I showed Kopu my index, middle and pinky finger, a message that said to run on the spot. The moment she started to run, I used the last of my energy to run behind Madara. Appearing behind him, I used my chakra blade not to slice him, but to push him towards Hashirama. I made sure to use a minor wind jutsu as well to push him further.

He barely blocked it, which ensured no injury for him, but it did ensure him being pushed. I smirked and let him fly towards Hashirama. I quickly went behind one of the two remaining Uchiha, Kupo had killed one of them, and slammed my blade to his neck, effectively decapitating him. I felt the other Uchiha about to fire ball me but I kicked him in his throat. I didn't acknowledge Hashirama's chakra spark as Madara was forced to give him an attack and I fled. Before leaving the area, I turned my chakra blade into hundreds of sharp chakra strings and attacked them to the trees to act as a barrier from me and the Uchiha and Senju. If they were careless, they'd be cut into pieces once they touch the chakra strings.

Having little to no chakra left, I couldn't sense at all around me anymore and had to open my eyes. I didn't look back, knowing that would only slow me down. I just needed to get out of there, as fast as possible. I needed to catch up to Kopu and my teammates, or reach the boundaries. I couldn't trust my ears to sense around me as they were ringing. So I had to trust my eyes and my nose to guide me back. I notice the hurried tracks that Kopu left behind and quickly follow them. My heart is still beating far too fast. All odds were against me then... and they still are. I wouldn't know if anyone is following me now. I keep my eyes in front of me and continue running as fast as I can.

x

It has been a whole day. A whole 24 hours since I've been running.

I've been slowling down and I don't know if I'll make it back home.

I shake my head and remove those thoughts from my mind. I shouldn't think like that, I am the leader. I will make it back and I will found my teammates. I scan the area for more marks that Kopu left behind. The last one I saw was half an hour ago, but I couldn't find any anymore. Maybe she finally got wary and stopped making marks around? Looks like I'll just need to trust my instincts to find me a way home. I was running around a lake now, in a less dense wood. If it weren't for the situation, I would have looked around in pure bliss at how peaceful it seemed... but I couldn't help but feel my guts squeeze together in wary. Something didn't feel right. It was too quiet.. too peaceful. My stomach felt queasy.

A minute later, I smell the start of something absolutely foul.

The smell of death of rotting and of stained life.

The smell of blood.

I immediately stop running. Blood drains from my face.

My team and I would usually make a detour when we find and sense the remains of a battle. It always lowered the mood and nobody wanted to see the harsh reality. Except... I had a horrible feeling that, I couldn't look away from this harsh reality. I walk towards the foul smell. I feel dirty just by walking.

My mind is blank. I can't think but I can only feel. Feel something is bad. I want to deny what is to come.

I stop at the red tree in front of me. She doesn't look peaceful at all. Isn't death suppose to symbolize the freedom of life? Her eyes look dully at me, void of life. I don't even want to find where the rest of her body is. Her beautiful locks were intertwined in the branches as blood oozed out of her cut neck and onto the ground. She was alive a few hours ago.

I close Kupo's eyes and untangle her head from the branches. Once done, I cradle her decapitated head in my arms and place her on the ground.

I can't help myself but move closer to the even fouler smell.

This being a genjutsu doesn't even come across my mind. Because Madara had tried on me before and failed, and if it doesn't work with a genjutsu master like him, nobody else would succeed. And yet, one would think something this cruel would come from the imagination only. I come at a small red clearing. I stop at the middle as my eyes took in my five teammates. They don't even look how they used to. It looks like their skin were pulled inside out, their stomachs are cut open and their guts are pulled out to act as vile scarves.

Inhumane.

Absolutely inhumane.

"Hello, Kireha-san," I hear someone from behind me. But the buzzing of my ears sound louder. "We've been waiting for a while... sorry about the smell, but you've kept us waiting..." I want to throw up my heart and kick it until it is just a rotting red mess. The voice's owner walks around me and stands in front of me. I can't help but just blankly look at him. The symbol on his collar shows that he's a Shimura. "Your ninjas proved to be more durable than we thought, but... it's a shame it came to this."

That was the last straw.

The once eerily tranquil remaining chakra inside me exploded in fury.

 _How dare he?!_

I appeared behind him and kicked his throat. He fell to the ground.

 _He attacked my family!?_

I pulled my hand back and quickly make them punch his face. I took my index and ring finger out and hooked them in his eye sockets. He screamed and I didn't notice the other Shimura running to me.

 _He not only just killed them, but he tortured them!_

I spun around and kicked all the Shimura around me, the ones that tried to confine me.

 _HOW DARE HE!_

 _MY POOR INNOCENT FAMILY, WHO JUST WANTS PEACE!_

I don't register the fact that they've started stabbing me with their kunais.

My energies drains at a faster rate.

 _They just wanted to live in peace..._

x

They had kept three of my teammates alive. They had me leaned against a tree, tied a rope around my stomach to make sure I didn't leave. The plunged a kunai in both of my hands into the tree. They had another in my shoulder. Then one on my calf and one of each feet.

I stared in absolute misery as my remaining teammates were tortured to death in front of my eyes.

Blood stained the ground and blood stained my hands for the rest of my life.

Once they were done with their ordeal, the dragged me across the ground to where I would assume is their clan. My eyes were open but I couldn't see. I couldn't comprehend.

The only thing I knew what that I was no longer surrounded my red trees stained by my family's blood, but I was in a dark cell stained by my blood.

* * *

Chapter 6 done. This will be continued in the next chapter.

Small summary: Yasu & team are out to go scouting for a new area for the clan to immigrate to, because where they are at is far too close to the war.  
They were on their way back, and they are all extremely tired because it took far longer than expected.  
Madara unexpectedly shows up, so Yasu and Kopu sacrifices themselves to save the rest.  
Hashirama shows up, probably followed Madara. Yasu uses him as a distraction to Madara and she flees with great damage (and Kopu left earlier, so they aren't together).  
Her teammates got captured by the Shimura and were tortured to death.  
Yasu is also captured by them.

Things aren't going well for them :(

14 - May - 2018

Tsuki


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Selfish

* * *

How many seconds.

How many years.

How many minutes.

How many months.

They were all pretty useless questions. I wouldn't know what to do with the answer to that question.

But some questions need to be answered, even if it is useless.

So... for how long, Yasu?

... how long what... as in, how long I've been staring across the room in my blood.. or

for how long have you been lying to yourself?

x

It was boring for the lack of a better word. I stared in front of me, the bar cells looked like it was rusting, but I knew better. Day four in this cell, from what I could tell. They haven't really done anything with me just yet. They've just come up to my cell, crouched down so that they reach my eye level and they just stared. Stare at what? What do they stare at, hm? At a Kireha? Or at the failure that couldn't save even one person? So many useless questions with so many useless answers.

I've been... calm. I know I should have felt some anger, some more guilt, some sadness. But I was just empty. A blank canvas. A blank, white, useless canvas.

x

They started talking to me, starting day 13. I've started to regain a bit of my energy as I meditated. I felt eerily calm. I kept thinking about my clanmates, murdered and tortured. Why wouldn't I feel more than just a bit of guilt? In any case, these Shimura keep on asking what my name is, to tell them about the Kireha, the same old boring, predictable things. Predictable. Couldn't they have at least someone interesting?

x

Day... 21, I think?

They are really predictable if they think hurting me physically would let me talk about my clan. Do they really think I'm that weak? They've already been starving me since the first day I've been here. They've already isolated me. How boring can these Shimura be?

I look up as I hear the chains rattling. I lean back and stare boredly at... a new person? Maybe, maybe not. I haven't really been paying attention to these people. I keep in my sigh and roll my head to the left, already bored as it is. He opens the door to my cell and walks up to my pathetic figure. The blood around my usual sitting area seemed to have permanently stained the ground. The collar around my neck makes my skin raw, the same goes for the skin around my wrists and ankles. I see him crouch down and I raise an eyebrow at him. I roll my head back correctly and we both stare at each other.

"My name is Kosotsuko Shimura, Kireha-san," he starts. I don't respond. "You have... been quite a challenge. Our small display really broke you, hm?" I don't respond and simply look at him dully. He's dull and so am I. He doesn't matter. "So... since that had an effect on you... we thought..." he trailed off and put his hand up and seemed to wave. From the little chakra sensing that I could do, I sensed someone appear in front of my cell. Am I hearing... whimpering? This Kosotsuko person stands up and moves away from me so that I could see clearly what he wanted to show me. I flinched very hard, making the wounds I received from the last session, open, causing blood to slowly seep out. My pupils shook. I didn't dare to blink, not knowing if something would happen if I did.

The same hair color as I.

The similar chin and nose of many women I've seen throughout my life.

The mouth that should be smiling that innocent grin.

Why is there blood on all of those features?

"... Remu...?" I whisper, wanting to be delusion and insane if it meant I was imagining this. But I knew that I could never be insane enough to imagine my poor little cousin in such a state. "Yasu...?" I hear her say in response, her voice shaky, croaked and void of life.

 _"Yasu, help us with our training!"_

Why was she outside the clan borders? She's supposed to be safe. Why isn't she safe? Why is she in front of me? Why is she here? Why is she near me?

 _"Ne, ne, Yasu! You promised you'll show me the super ninja move!"_

"It hurts Yasu...I don't like this..." her voice echoes the lifeless cell. I didn't realize I was slowly leaning towards her, to the point my retrains were digging in my skin. I wanted to comfort her, to say that things would be already. That she'd be safe.

 _I perked up at a shrill of a scream. I scanned the area quickly... and sighed when I realized it was one of the kids that probably accidentally hurt themselves. I make my way to where I sensed the kids. They all part way so I can crouch to the injured child... Remu. I put one knee of the ground and see her knee, where it was slightly bleeding. "Now, now, Remu. This is nothing," I say, frowning softly. She just sniffed so I sighed and put my hand on her shoulder. She looked up at me. "Lesson 32, when you're a shinobi, always expect being hurt. Lesson 33, learn from your pain. Be it physical and mental." She blinked and sniffed once more. I furrow my brows ever so slightly. "What can you learn from this?" I ask softly. She rubs her eyes, "T-to not try jumping on tree if I'm not 101% sure," she whimpers back._

 _I smile at her, "See? You're already stronger than you were a minute ago," I say. She looks down and stays quiet for a few seconds until she looks up. "...really?" I chuckle and nod, patting her head. "Definitely. Now come on, I'll let you sit on my shoulders for a ride to your house." She lightened up at that and I laughed slightly._

 _I shooed away the other kid, despite their protests, and started to walk Kemu back with her on my shoulders. "Kemu, it's good to practice. And I'm very proud that you are training," I begin, "but there are limits. You can stretch your limits to improve, but you cannot break it." She lays her chin on my head. I sigh softly and stay quiet until we reached her house. I set her down and I then crouch so that I reach her eyes. "Kemu, listen," she looks at me after a few seconds of hesitance. "I will be here for quite some while, so there is no hurry, alright?" I pet her hair, "I'm here to teach you, listen to you and protect you. So don't push yourself. Don't think I haven't noticed your attitude about training lately." She seems to look at the ground in embarrassment and in guilt._

 _"You promise then...?" she says in a quiet voice. I blink and retreat my hand, "What do you want me to promise?" She fiddles with her finger, until wearing a confident face and looks at me, "You'll keep me safe until I'm strong enough!" I blink again and I smirk, holding back snarky comments. I wink at her, "It's my promise to you, don't you forget it-"_

"Did you.. forget it, Yasu?"

I can barely hear her, but it's the only thing I hear.

"Did you forget your promise... to me?" She pulls her head up and my eyes widen. Why... why are her eyes...

"It doesn't matter..."

...why...? ...why...? ...why...? ...why...? ...why...? ...why...? why...? why...? why...? why...? why...? why? why? why? why? why? why? why? why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!why?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY _?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!_ ** _WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!WHY?!_**

"What did she do to deserve this?" I mumble, my mind racing with thoughts with nonsense that made perfect sense to me. I look up at see that Shimura person that dared to breathe in the same area as me. "She just wants peace, she just wants protection, she just wants the clan, she just wants you to leave her alone." I say all too fast, slowly standing up. I can't, I want to, I can't look at my cousin.

Something snaps in me, and I can feel it's more than just mentally.

Something is making me awake and something is very much terrifying the Shimura around me. I don't want to, I can, I didn't listen to the mindless words that the Shimura were sputtering out. I barely acknowledge the fact that their heads are rolling on the ground and that the cell bars were cut and starting falling to the ground. I hug my bloody cousin, desperate for her attention, for her life, _for her._ "I'm so sorry Kemu, I'm so sorry, please forgive me, Kemu," I chant, petting her head. She's cold and shivering and everything I don't want her to be in. "I forgive you Yasu, it's okay," she says back, whimpering. I don't accept her acceptance, it's too simple. I cannot be forgiven for being such a failure.

I can sense people coming to us.

"These bad people... they hurt you, right?" I say and she nods. I release my hug from her, feeling energized. Feeling more than I ever felt beforehand. Feeling like all my muscles was on my command and they were working more than ever before. I don't dare to hurt her more... so I need to kill everything than can hurt her. "Surrender, Kireha!" I hear from behind me. I stand up and pat her head softly. "Just stand still, I'll be back." I turn away from her and before anyone can say another word, they are forever silenced.

x

"The Kireha escaped with the brat! Get her! Get them both!"

The Shimura were in a frenzy. How could she still have that much energy after almost a month of minimal food!? Screams of anguish filled the night as a building exploded. "We need to retrain her. Something happened, get the binding scrolls!" People were shouting and slowly, they were started to organize themselves to... trap this beast that they triggered. Powerful or not, the Shimura thought of themselves as more powerful.

x

Step by step, I heard clicks echoing through my body.

First there was a click in my head, in brain. I felt free then.

Then that click in my brain came back, but stronger, almost making me almost fall to my knees.

A third click, but this time on my back. On my spine. It felt hot, but not excessively so.

The forth click made everything in my body ache, but it didn't matter. Kemu was hurt.

The last two clicks, the fifth and the sixth, made my stomach ache even more. I wanted to puke my nothings out.

I felt energized. I felt renewed. I felt like I was ready to set everything of fire.

So that's exactly what I did.

x

It was all fairly blurry.

I glared with all my might at Kosotsuko, who apparently survived my rampage. Well, barely. He can barely talk anymore, he's missing an ear and both of he's half blind on one eye. "You will pay for what you have done, you cursed Shimura," I spat, leaning against the wall. He merely smirked and pointed his new cane towards me. "Maybe one day, my dear Kireha. But now," his smirked widened, "you'll pay for your deeds." His voice is croaky and disgusting and I'm happy to sense that he's hurting from it.

I had lost my senses, the day when I saw they had Kemu. Things snapped in me, something. I'm not too sure what it was, but I am fairly confident it has to do with my bloodline limit. But I didn't dwell on that too much. I mainly thought of these sick bastards that dared to touch my family. My poor family that just wanted to be safe and away from war. That just wanted peace. How dare they take a child!? What was the point, to hurt her? She doesn't hold information, she was innocent, she was a child. Was. Now, I just know she's gone. In an attempt to stop me, they killed her. It fueled me more.

Remorse. Anger. Guilt.

They weren't pretty when they were expressed with killing intent.

I was in an even worse mood when I realized I felt relief.

A sick sense of relief. The relief that Kemu no longer needs to be in this cruel world, that now she's eternally, peacefully sleeping. That thought process just made me madder. I thought of all the different ways I could kill Kosotsuko. Slowly and painfully seems fitting for him. Maybe too fitting. Maybe he's doesn't deserve to die. Maybe just a forever lasting, painful life… yeah, that seems nice.

"You've dealt more... damage that we had thought," he said, unintentionally hissing. I raise an eyebrow at him, "Really? I hadn't noticed." Maybe he was mentally challenged, that sick bastard. My memorues may be hazy, but I remember killing too many people and things being on fire. He nods and stands up correctly. "Here I thought, killing all of your cousins and Kireha members were enough. They were resilient, but weak. It was much easier to handle that kid."

...He's the one that ordered the torture and killing of my clanmembers... hm? I keep my chakra under control and send him a lazy look. "Sorry to disappoint," I respond. He stared at me for a couple more seconds until he walks away, probably to get the daily torturer or whatever. Since he seemed a little more than just injured, I suppose he won't be my torturer for a couple more days.

I leaned back on the wall and closed my eyes. A few things have come to my attention.

The first, is my weird state after being captured. I had paid little to no attention to my surroundings. To the point I was extremely disappointed in myself, because apparently, this Kosotsuko person has been my torturer since day one. He's the one that's been organizing what to do with me, so that they could squeeze information from me. He was doing a bad job to say the least. It's too bad he doesn't know that the worst possible pain that could be implemented on me, has already happened. So apparently, when I'm in shock, I go in this zone of 'no fucks are given'.

Second are these clicks that echoed in my body. I remember them well. Six of them, and each time I felt more powerful. But I didn't need to move to know that these clicks came with a price. My muscles ached. It rivaled the nail peeling the Shimura have done.

Third, and most importantly, is why in the world Kemu was captured. Surely, Kireha hasn't weakened that much by my absence? So if a kid got captured by the enemy... then they were ambushed. Somehow. I heard the footsteps and some metals clinking. I glared at the person that stood in front of my cell. The replacement, hm? I had to make sure I never enter that zone again and I needed to get out to return to Kireha quickly. The man crouched in front of me, a straight line replacing his lips. "We will try something different today, Kireha."

x

How much blood do I even have anymore? I cough out the blood from my mouth, glaring at the Shimura. These goddamned Shimura. He put the collar back around my neck and as he goes back, about to leave my cell through the door, but the small bag that hangs from his waist doesn't escape my attention... the bag was bloody, and it seemed to be holding spherical objects. Soon enough, I snort as I realized what it contained, 'so some things really never change'. "You Shimura and eyes," I manage to say. I cough out my blood and I see him glance back at me. "No wonder you see the least."

x

I entertain myself by shocking the Shimura by letting useless information come out from my mouth randomly. I used to stay silent all the time. I don't want to talk to people who don't value anything important. I don't talk to people who killed my family. But it was interesting to see their reactions. So when two of them were cleaning their utensils that were covered by my blood, I shook and sputtered, blood grossly sneaking out of my wounds, nose and mouth. And well, ears. Today's special was ears. From what I could hear, which was quite a challenge today, they were talking about overthrowing the Uchiha, or more specifically, Madara.

I laughed, "You think you're strong?! Ah, wait until the atomic bombs come around," I smirk at them, "You'll most literally cease for existence. Your atoms will break apart until nothing of you is left. Sounds nice, right?" I sigh in bliss, "Why can't that happen to me?"

"She's talking in tongues again, Kosotsuko-san," I hear one of them whispering. I roll my head to look at the Shimura peering in my cell from outside the bars. "You should take notes, it's not every day I talk so casually about the actual me." They ignore me and I sigh, looking up. Soon, a woman came in and started to patch up the life threatening wounds. Yeah, they had a medic come in to make sure I could survive the torture round. I kept my eyes closed as she checked my leg that was very much broken.

One could never get used to pain. Pain doesn't work that way.

But one could tolerate pain bit by bit.

I could tell the medic woman didn't care if I was hurting or not, as she touched the open wound and roughly did the bandages. She was just doing her disgusting job. I spiked my chakra for a moment, which seemed to startle her. She stumbled back and glared at me harshly. I kept my eyes closed. "Don't worry, I was just making sure I'd remember your chakra sense," she stood up and was about to walk away. "I hold grudges and killing is my job." She walked out faster than before.

x

I don't remember how many days I've been in this stinking cell. The one I arrived it got exploded, because of me, so I got transported to a new, worse looking, more enforced one. I just know I've been in here for far longer than I should. I somehow doubt I'm going to get out of here alive. It has been too long and energy is slowly being drained from me permanently. I don't know how I got that much energy when they... showed me Remu, but I definitely cannot do that again. My body barely has enough energy to heal itself. And going with how talkative I am about my previous life, my mental health isn't looking too good for me either. I breathe in deeply, that mere action bringing pangs of pain to my chest area. How many scars would I have now? More than I can count probably.

I close my eyes, darkness guiding me to the back of my mind.

x

Without needing to sense Kosotsuko, I knew he was in a bad mood. He slammed the door open and grabbed my neck. I didn't give him the satisfaction of opening my eyes or talking, so I stayed as still as what I resembled: a corpse. "You useless woman," he spat, throwing me to the ground. I lay still on the ground and grunted as he kicked me in the stomach, reopening the wounds of yesterday.

Quicker than I could comprehend, he took off all of my restraints, pushed me to my back on the ground, and stabbed five long kunais in my body: one to each hand, one to each foot and one through my stomach. I would have thought this seemed extremely familiar to when I got captured and would have commented on his lack of creativity, but the pain was excruciating and I groaned. I tried to stop my limbs from trembling in pain, but my body couldn't stop and it hurt so much and why in the fucks would he do this?! I gritted my teeth together and glared at Kosotsuko who stepped around me so that he stood at my feet.

"You're not meant to stayed 'strong' for this long," he started. "Now. Explain your blood line limit," he walked around my body, avoiding the pool of blood. I said nothing so he crouched next to my stomach and took the kunai that was stuck in my stomach. "How is it related to your body? Is it extractable?" He's asked these questions many times, and he's an idiot for asking them still. He stared at my face as I said nothing but stared at the ceiling.

He grabbed the kunai and turned it, making me flinch. "It's related to removing chakra from your body and making it tangible. How do your contrast it. Which organ is used to make your blood line limit possible?" He removed the kunai and pointed to my neck, "Is it your bones?" he trailed the kunai down my skin, making a small cut. He placed it above my heart, "Or your heart?" he turned it slightly, so that it dug in my skin slightly. A bit of blood went through my clothes, making a small dot of blood appear on my ragged clothes.

He moved the kunai up so that he had it in between my eyes. "Or your eyes, like the Uchiha?" he whispered. This time, I opened my eyes fully and looked at him. "If you don't answer, we'll need to experiment with each organ individually." A fruitless threat. I close my eyes once again, completely unafraid of the man.

"You disgust me," my voice is croaky but I couldn't care less. "To take a little girl's eyes because you assumed our blood line limit. Not even that, but she was so young that she hasn't even begun training for her blood line limit. Not even Uchiha's have their sharingans at her age."

I almost want to laugh at him, so I just manage with a dry smirk. "How desperate."

It didn't seem like he liked that answer… not in the slightest. The room was filled by his killing intent and I could tell he was mad, upset, emotional, everything a ninja shouldn't feel and everything I should be feel, and he plunged the kunai below my abdomen. I held in my scream and tried not to move and tried not to want to tear his throat out because I knew I couldn't.

"Tell."

I stayed silent as he dragged the kunai up my body, definitely cutting through vital organs. I bit my lip down, wanting so much to stop everything, to stop him.

When I continued on staying silent, very obviously as blood was seeping out of my lips from holding them down with my teeth, he sliced faster.

"TELL ME."

He drew it through the middle of my chest and I held in the gasp. He touched something bad. Something very, very bad. I could feel everything inside and outside me bleeding. But he touched the heart. It wasn't good. It wasn't good at all. I wanted to stop breathing for my frantic heart, as it tried to pump blood but blood was continuously coming out of my body.

He seemed to be fed up and ended the cut my dragging it up my neck to finally slice a part of my jawline. He stood up and threw the kunai next to my head, cutting a bit of my ear. I couldn't hear what he said, everything was starting to get cloudy. Pieces of black started appearing. Everything was coming at once and leaving.

I felt so hot and so cold. Mainly cold. It was so cold. So cold.

It hurt so much. I couldn't- I- how- why- this-

Blank.

x

Screaming. That's what woke me up. The beautiful sounds of screams. I didn't realize at first they were screams. At first it was more like that annoying ringing sound, but it slowly became more distinguished. Before I can comprehend anything else, I was thrown to the wall to my right, the wall behind me having… exploded of some sort. I grunted, too weak to move. What the fuck were the Shimura up to now?

…something was digging in my stomach and it was incredibly uncomfortable. And painful. Mostly painful.

I groaned as I pushed myself to turn over so that I laid on my back. After much effort and too much energy, I was on my back… I didn't dare to open my eyes, knowing it would hurt my brain. Everything was hurting more than it should. Everything, everywhere. But I had to know what the hell was going on.

I slowly opened my eyes, making sure to adjust to the lighting… which was nonexistent. It took me a few minutes to figure out who I was for a brief second. I hated pain, so much. This… this is. This is indescribable. It takes time for my eyes to come to their senses. The blood loss wasn't helping…

It didn't smell like blood so much. Was I finally going officially insane? I could smell dirt, wet dirt. I could smell something alive, breathing. Something that's not blood. I needed to touch it. I need to feel, I need to see, taste, smell, hear, _taste_ , that it's real. I need to get up. I barely acknowledge the fact my restraints, the chains were no longer stuck to the wall. There's a small confusion on why I can suddenly move so freely. But I focus more on the pain and on the potential freedom.

I needed to go. Not, not needed. I had to.

I put my hands on the ground and groaned when I felt the pain intensify. I had to pull through. It doesn't matter if I don't get far, but I need to try. I need to try to get out here. I had to at least try. I had to.

Blood dribbled down my chin, but I paid it no mind. No, I paid more attention to the fact that my guts were almost spilling out. I breathed raggedy breaths and leaned on the wall to help me up. I put one hand to my stomach, where that goddamed Kototsuko sliced me up, to control the blood flow as the shock had opened the frail and life threatening wound. With all my might, I pulled myself up, and stood on my own two feet. My knees wanted to buckle and I just wanted to quit.

But I knew that wouldn't be beneficial for anyone.

So, with what I could see as black dots started forming in my view, I walked out of my cell and through the hole that almost killed me. The outside is warmer than it is inside the cell, but its still night. There are shadows everywhere and my ears are killing me because the ringing just got louder as did the explosions and the sound of metal to metal contact. But I walk as far as I walk and as fast as I can, to get away from the cell, from Kototsuko, from this whole Shimura bullshit so that I can come back to Kireha. To be back to my family.

I want to go back… I, I- I

I… I'm about to give up when I see someone drop in front of me.

"Kireha-san," they whisper harshly… why would they whisper? I try to recognize who they are, but I can't chakra sense and things are getting blurry. Things are going too fast and too slow and the whole world is moving too fast when I just stay behind with nothing but myself. I don't comprehend anything bit everything is too loud and my mind is too silent and I hate everything about me and everything around me. "My name is Shikaro Nara, I am to being you back to your clan." But it's too late and I fall to the ground, darkness finally embracing me.

x

Everything is garbled and everything hurts.

Everything is disgusting and everything about myself disgusts me.

I feel the movements of something moving but it's not me that moves.

I don't think about it too much and I fall in darkness and I fall deeper within myself.

x

It's comfortable. Almost so comfortable that I want to stay like this forever. It reminds me of… something of that past. A bed that's not really a bed… a water bed. A warm, water bed, except it's much softer and much more consuming. Much more wholesome.

But just like sleeping and wanting to stay sleeping, I get tingles all over my body. Alarms that say I need to wake up. The darkness gains spots of light and before I can prepare myself, my eyes open.

It was blinding at first, but figures started to form. At first they were basic objects, like circles or colors and squares. Shapes that mean nothing alone but that means everything to humans. These shapes merge together to make more complex shapes… and soon, my brains links these complex shapes together and puts a name on it.

"Kin…" I croak, finally realizing what… no, who it was. He smiled ever so gently at me, "We're glad to see you are awake, Yasu." I just stare at him, looking at every single aspect that I could. My eyes still weren't good, as things started being blurry again. But I could see the lines of stress on his foreheads, his mouth moved slightly into a permanent scowl. That scar above his eyebrow showing how I almost sliced his brain open when he used to teach me summers ago.

"I've failed you, Kin… everyone" I manage to say. He moves closer to me and my eyesight becomes cloudier and more blurry. He seems to wipe something under my eyes. I only now realize the reason why I was seeing blurry was because I was crying. "They're all dead… I'm so sorry… please don't forgive me, I don't deserve…"

He sighs and bows his head slightly and strokes my hair. "We will talk about that later. For now, rest. Kireha needs you, don't forget that."

It was in that exact moment that changed my mind set.

Beforehand, everything I did was because it seemed like it was the right thing to do. I needed to help my clan, as simple as that. They were my family, and I had to protect them.

But it's so much more than that. It's not just protecting and leading them to success. It's to be with my clan, to be the same entity as them. They're no characters from my previous life, they are people who I live, eat, breathe with. They are as much them as I am me.

Before I had protected them because I knew I would feel bad about not doing anything. I would feel bad about myself because someone else got injured. It was a selfish feeling of serving others so I would feel better about myself, so I could think better about myself.

But not anymore. I felt it firsthand. When someone was hurt, I was hurt. When Kopu died, everything in me died and I saw how lifeless I was in the beginning in that cell. This time, I'd do everything in my power to save them. I don't care if I die, I don't get if I get humiliated or shunned. I don't care if I want to kill myself or if no one likes me. I've lived a life already and now I know enough to make things right.

* * *

holy fkn shit this is a long chapter. 5312 words to be exact. HOLLYY

ok summary:  
Yasu's captured and it's not looking good for her. She's in a blank state where she can't process he emotions so she's feeling nothing. More explained later  
Kemu, Kireha small cousin, got captured and she snaps when she realizes the Shimura hurt her. Her 'snapping' has more to it though  
Also the Shimura think the Kireha blood limit is related to their eyes? Those dumbasses. Hence the reason why Kemu doesn't have eyes  
Yasu isn't that OP so she gets gets captured again after her snapping/rampage. Torture gets worse and things are looking worse  
Kototsuko Shimura is her main torturer, and apparently he got real mad and may have almost killed her (she'd be dead if it weren't for the medics)  
Day after Kototsuko's pissy, slicey day, there appears to be an attack (an ambush?) to the Shimura compound  
Yasu manages to escape and just as she faints, a Nara saves her and she wakes up next to Kin Kireha, her sensei

And that's a wrap! Wow this chapter was so hard to write. There's.. i don't know man

lots of thanks and love to fixerbacta and eagle0108! got a good feeling about this

24 - May - 2018

Tsuki


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Recovery & Recovered

* * *

"Three months and one week," Shouta said as he poured me some tea. I merely blink as I look at my, apparently, new ceiling. "You've given everyone a scare…" I wanted to tell him that he already said that many times but I've been told to not talk and I don't want to get scolded again. But I understand where he's getting at. It's been an extremely long time and I could tell the morale of the clan has decreased since I've been gone.

Apparently, they had decided to move the compound's location when I was captured. They didn't know if I'd ever come back but they knew it wasn't safe where they were, so they moved a month after I hadn't returned. Unfortunately, during the time they were moving, the Shimura attacked, killed a few Kireha and captured poor, my poor Kemu. After they had attacked and Kemu was captured, a new sense of motivation and despair seemed to ignite within the clan and they went full exploration mode to find the Shimura clan.

I'm still not too sure how they found the Shimura compound, but apparently Keno-sama asked the Akimichi who asked the Nara, and the Nara ended up helping the Kireha locating the Shimura. Then something about using birds with the Yamanaka and using dogs to help track down the Shimura compound. They explained some stuff but a lot of details escaped me. Whatever, in the end it seemed like the Shimura did something bad to the Nara so the Nara ended up helping us. So there was an attack on the Shimura compound by the Kireha, Nara and a few Akimichi, the Yamanaka didn't want to partake in this fight. Thankfully one of the Nara's found me and they escorted me to the Kireha group.

The Kireha clan had already moved in the new location and the most important buildings have been constructed. Most people still lived in tents, but the walls and important buildings were up and the other houses were being built. It was a steady progress and I'm eternally proud of my clan in being able to do so much despite me being gone and the mishaps.

Now it's been a week since I've returned. Shouta was the first face I saw when I woke up in the new compound, since I only saw Kin's face when I was actually being transported to the new compound. After seeing him, I saw Kin and Keno-sama, and they told me how glad they were to have me back and they told me to rest up. After that, I was left alone with a medic and Shouta.

After that, kids came over and talked to me, telling me how they missed me and how I missed when Soke almost chocked by accidently swallowing a poor ladybug that happened to be flying by. I could tell they were sad and shocked by Kemu's capture and death and I wasn't in the right state to tell them anything about that, so I stayed silent. I had to stabilize myself before teaching the kids.

After that, the kids would come every day for an hour and talk to me about their recent adventures Their training with Kin, what they learnt, some childish voyages. I listened with joy, so happy that I'm back to my family and to know they are happy and not hurting. The fourth day was when Kin told me what happened, to which I mostly forgot and didn't pay attention. But I got the general gist of what happened, as you can tell.

And apparently I cough out blood when I talk too much, so I'm not allowed to talk for god knows how long.

Bastard Kosotsuko.

The medic said that, somehow, my vitals were spared, even though there were signs that they were cut. So it was fairly obvious to say that this ass Kototsuko actually sliced my body right up and had that Shimura medic do a mediocre job in patching me up.

It's an actual miracle I'm alive. Even the Kireha medic has no idea why I survived. I also have no idea. But I don't question it and count myself as insanely lucky. I may have gotten used to these anime aspects of life, but... surviving that hell hole was so realistic, was so bad, it didn't feel like I could ever survive that. So I don't dwell on my survival for much longer and meditate to help my chakra flow, making sure that at least my chakra speeds up my healing process. Unfortunately, the Senju haven't been kind enough to tell the world their mystical healing hand jutsu thing, so I was left with herbs, stitches, bandages, and gross medicine balls that the Akimichi gave us… it helped, but it was seriously disgusting.

But, things were alright now, and that's what matters the most.

X

Three weeks later and I'm allowed to walk around. The kids have been bothering me almost all of the time until Kin finds them and shoo's them away. I silently note how people seemed to be busier than before, more productive… more stressed _._ I sit on a rock, under a tree and overlook the training the kids are having with Kin.

We're too weak. If the one of the most elite squads of Kireha got wiped out, it highlights how weak the clan is. Is doesn't matter that we were weakened in the first place. We had to become stronger. Stronger to protect and to survive, and we won't rest until we're sure of it. I closed my eyes, I'll make sure of it.

X

A week later and I joined Kin in training the kids. The mornings, I let Kin teach them whatever and in the afternoon, I correct and teach the kids everything that I know of. How to perform the best stances in taijustsu, the most effective places to hit and what you should hit after. The difference in killing, handicapping and knocking out. I didn't even want to teach them how to use a weapon, because one shouldn't use a weapon if they can't even use their body.

Soon, a few adults came and asked for advice. Well, 'adults'. 'Adult' is a very subjective term in war times. Let just say clan members that have been out in war have come to me in search for tips to improve. And so that is how I spent my day. In the morning would be my time alone, to heal, to meditate and to train by myself. The afternoon is reserved to teach my clanmembers, to train them to be better, to survive.

After helping my clan members in the aspect, I would join Keno-sama and discuss about various different things. How the clan was doing, the morale. The discussions on war and what should be done. How other clans are doing and our relationship with our allies. Soon, came an interesting topic, one that I had wanted to address for quite some time.

"When I was captured at the Shimura base, do you remember when I said I 'snapped'?" I told Keno-sama, who Kin sat next to and Roku say next to me. They call hummed, well Roku nodded. "Well, it was more… specific than that." I took a sip of my drink and sighed, trying to remember all that happened. It was weird, it was a very bizarre feeling of empowerment.

"There were these distinct 'clicks' in my body, an each time there was a 'click' I felt more powerful but everything hurt more. It felt like my muscles were being torn apart, it was horrible. But I felt faster and stronger."

I looked carefully at the three men and they all stayed silent… but I wouldn't be a good ninja if I hadn't noticed the shine in Kin and Keno-sama's eyes. "Did you do something with chakra?" Roku asked and I sighed and shrugged. "It was extremely weird. At first, it seemed like it. But then it was all just physical energy from my body."

"Did you hear these clicks from different parts of your body?" Keno-sama asked calmly. I eyed him thoroughly. So he knows exactly what I'm talking about. "Yes. I don't exactly recall where, but some were from my head, spine… I think." Keno-sama hums and slowly sips some of his tea. It takes him ten excruciating seconds to say: "interesting". My eye twitched as Kin sighs at the leader and looks at me, "It sounds similar to the red beast phenomenon." I raise an eyebrow. Roku then nods, "Ah, from the chakra sources, right?" I look at him, trying to hide my confusion but they all obviously see through me.

I send a brief glare at Roku, who smirks at me, since he apparently knows something I don't. "The red beast phenomenon is quite rare and happens to only remarkable shinobi who is extremely talented in taijutsu. It requires immense training, top notch taijutsu, good amount of chakra control, a lot of meditation and a vast amount of meditation," Kin begins, holding his tea cup firmly. "This phenomenon happens when a person unlocks eight main chakra sources, which are actually called tenketsu as the Nara told us, and blood from above the heart must be released to the open. Since the main chakra sources, the eight kenketsu, are unlocked, it makes the person extremely strong. All physical attributes are multiplied," he pauses for a second and eyes my arms, "but it comes at the price of destroying all muscle tissues and the host to die."

This sounded familiar. Far too familiar. Seriously fuckin' familiar.

"Why is it called the 'red beast'?" I ask. I get a curious look from Roku, probably because I sounded a bit too energetic. Kin also raises a slightly eyebrow but Keno-sama just smiles while drinking his tea. "It's because the host gets surrounded by a hue of red, as if it was a coat of chakra while it is actually evaporated sweat and blood. It is truly terrifying." There is no doubt then. I remember this precisely from my former life. The two taijutsu masters from Konoha of the manga, Might Gai and Rock Lee, and their stupidly powerful eight gates bullshit. And if those six clicks meant anything, it means that I somehow went up to six gates, somehow.

"But everyone has died from this red beast. Once they've activated it, they could do nothing about it. And no one has succeeded in performing a lesser version as of yet," Keno-sama finally says. He then look at me with his scheming eyes. "Well, aside from you, that is." There is a tense silence until Roku somehow falls to his back and Kin slams his hands on the table. "SERIOUSLY?!"

Oh lords.

X

Apparently Kin had tried to open all eight gates before and failed, but is now sure he can do it. I told them all I knew, what I thought and what could perhaps be achieved. I made sure it sounded all like theories and now the term "Eights Gates" was an official thing. It didn't take long for all the kids to hear about it and they all wanted to try it out.

"Once you're as strong as Kin, you can start learning it," I had said to them. After that, their excitement cooled down but they were more determined to become stronger and to surpass their current teacher. Kin and I would often talk about it, how steps can be made. I knew if we both trained hard, we could both open the first and second gate in two months. And disclaimer, I did. He took two weeks longer than me.

I sometimes think if Might Gai actually is a Kireha but I don't dwell on that thought too much. I don't know and I don't even want to know. I'll see when the times comes and it wouldn't surprise me if he is or isn't.

X

It's been three months since I've returned from the cursed Shimura and I'm up and at it. The Kireha clan hasn't been out in battles so far, we've secluded ourselves and only fought when people have been in our way. In my case, I've been training by myself even more and have caught up to my previous strength. I still had to be mindful of my slightly weakened body though.

Now, I was walking with nine other Kireha clanmembers to a village to meet up with the Akimichi, for our usual exchanges. It had been over six months since I've sensed an Akimichi, and it was actually very depressing. To think I've been out of commission for so long… I shake my head slightly and focus more on the route and sensing around me. We were a little late and I could tell the Akimichi were already there, but we were prone on being late so I'm sure they aren't surprised.

What I didn't expect though was a huge cheer when I arrived there. I furrow my brows and immediately sensed around to understand what the big ninjas were cheering about… until the squad leader came up to me with a huge smile, "It's wonderful to see you're doing good, One-san!" I had almost forgotten how they called me. As previously mentioned, outsiders don't know the names of the people from Kireha, just number code names. And more often than not, I am the leader of squad, hence the 'one'. I blanked for a second, "I… thank you?" He laughed very loudly at my response and gestured me to come to a… carriage full of goods. "Take it as a token of happiness from the Akimichi!" I faced him, shocked. A token…? What is this crazy man talking about?

"Akimichi-san, I- I really can't accept this, you have outdone yourself," I finally say, a bit flabbergasted by how much food and everything there was. He just laughed and put his hands on his waist, I could tell how badly he wanted to pat my back but restrained himself. "Please, it is a gift!" I looked at him, or well faced him since my eyes were closed. I stayed silent for a while before a bowed slightly, "Thank you very much." He laughed and scratched his neck, saying it was nothing and that it was the least they could do for me and for Kireha. I send him a small smile and face towards the carriage of food. There was for sure a lot, and the clan would be very happy.

I went to face him again but I suddenly sensed something and my guts squeezed in discomfort. My smile was immediately replaced with a straight line and I crouched to the ground and touched the ground in concentration. My actions seemed to shut everyone down and the atmosphere shifted in a tense one. "You've been tailed, Akimichi-san, by four Shimura," I say. I am suddenly filled with void. Void, except for the desire to kill those scum. I stand up and face the Akimichi.

"Let me subdue them." It wasn't a command and it wasn't permission. It was a need. The squad leader Akimichi stayed silent for a moment, "Alone?" I nodded at his question. "Then do it with caution, we shall wait for you here." I nodded once more and I disappear from everyone's view.

X

I am back at the village with no traces of murder in exactly eleven minutes and 54 seconds. I gesture Fopu, Kopu's brother who is my current right hand man, to come as I go up to the Akimichi. The Akimichi nods back, "Successful?" I nod, "Yes, I managed to get intel from them."

I reached for my pouch and took out two things, a map and a bloody sack. "Apparently they were scavenging a field filled of corpses of Uchiha's and Senju's and they were going to steal from Intel from the Yamanaka by tailing your team." I handed him the map, "I am unsure, but I believe this map will show you where the Shimura presumed where your clan boundaries are and certain routes your clan takes." The Akimichi opens it and hides it from the Kireha. "You… you are correct…" His voice is filled with disbelief. I hummed and don't bother him further. If he didn't want to disclose where his clan location is, then that it fine by us.

"Secondly…" I hold out the pouch. "I believe these holds the sharingan…" there is another tense silence. "… The Akimichi wants nothing of the sort, you may do as you please with it." I nod at his response and put it back in my pouch. If there was one thing I absolutely hated about the Shimura, it was their want of blood line limits, of kekkai genkai, or these special eyes. That was the reason why they killed my clan members and my poor cousin.

So no way in hell was I going to do the same as them.

And as much as I hated confronting the Uchiha, if I ever see them again… I would do that. I would return the eyes to them. I will.

X

Remember when we stole scrolls from the Uzumaki, years ago? The first time I've been face to face with Madara and the battle that would have killed my clan, I had used barrier scrolls to keep the Uchiha away from my clan. Those barrier scrolls and seals that saved my clan. Well, barrier seals weren't the only things I stole. There was also a small storage seal. It could take less than one kilogram and less than 10 cm2, so basically it was perfect to store those sharingan eyes. Cause in storage seals, nothing became moldy. All was preserved, of course as long as it wasn't a living organism. So it was perfect. So I always had these eyes with me, until I would bump into an Uchiha.

And I did, two weeks later.

This time it wasn't an Akimichi that asked for our aid, but it was a Yamanaka. There was a battle with some other clan, but they had the inkling some other clan would be meddling soon. So we had to come to their aid. We accepted, of course.

So I went with nine others, as fast as possible. When we ran there, I felt Madara in the battle field and that is when I knew things would get complicated. But I needed to make it simple. So, I told my team to stay back and to help the side lines. I started walking on the blood filled field and I spiked my chakra as strong as I could. It made everything halt for a second and I sensed Madara look at me. I walked calmly to him, my huge sword called the "Kubikiribocho no Wairudogurei" was proudly set on my back as it clinked with other weapons on me. Yes, Soke had finished it and I used it often when I wanted things to end quickly and when I had to intimidate people. But I made no sign of using it right now or my other weapons.

I walked calmly but with purpose towards Madara Uchiha and he stood firmly on his ground, waiting for me with his gunbai by his side. Once I was a good three or two meters away from him, I addressed to him. "Madara Uchiha," I say. He doesn't say anything back but I know he's scowling at me. He tenses up when I reach my pouch and I can feel confusion from him when I pulled out the scroll. I apply a bit of chakra on the scroll and immediately, the bloody pouch appears. Confusion is replaced with disbelief and anger.

I talk before he can, "I found it on a Shimura and I want to be nothing like the Shimura." I pull out my hand that held the sharingan. I can tell his mind is racing with thoughts and I step towards him. Slowly, he pulls his arm and hand up, under mine. I gently drop the bloody sack on his hand. "What is the purpose of this? Do you expect some kind of reward?" He spits. I don't send him my usual smirk and my usual witty comeback.

"I expect nothing from this dark, violent world."

With that, I walk back with my back towards him. I gave him a choice right then: to strike me in the back like a coward or to retreat in honor. A small smile itches on my face when I sense the enemies leaving, retreating. Looks like your honor shines brighter than your pride Madara, thank goodness for that. I shake my head when I sense the disbelief from my comrades and the Yamanaka. I'm just glad there is some good in Madara Uchiha's heart.

X

Everything was going relatively well. Training from the kids were going good, they were improving. Kin and I still were trying out the Eight Gates thing, but that was going rather slow too. Battles have begun to die down and we haven't been called from our allies for any significant battles for many weeks now. I was meditating when I sensed something: a spike of chakra appeared, approximately 20 km away.

Too close for comfort.

I called for a small unit, consisting of three poeple. One medical, two assault. We head off and before long, we arrive at the end of the mountain heavy forest and we were greeted with the sight of lost Senju ninjas.

Three ninjas, all of them wounded. But one… one had white hair and had red streaks on his face. I closed my eyes before the foreign ninjas could see us. We shouldn't kill these. I signed to my comrades and we walked towards the Senju. We made sure to make sound, as to not startle them.

Tobirama was critically wounded, with what looked like a broken arm and an injured leg. He was carrying an unconscious Senju with another Senju trailing behind him. He looked extremely lost, which was hilarious, because he was supposed to be a master at sensing. I then saw he was probably attacked at the chakra nerves, the tenketsu, and couldn't sense properly. Poor guy.

"Why are you in our territory." I demanded. They all tensed up even more, and Tobirama looked at me with harsh eyes. They did not respond, or well, at least didn't Tobirama. "The Uchiha used a jutsu… we are not meant to be here." The other Senju said, Tobirama shot a look at him. I guess he didn't want to show weakness… but they look half dead, so too late for that.

I told my comrades to step back as I walked towards the Senju. I searched briefly in my pouch and took out a scroll. They all couldn't move but I sensed Tobirama's chakra slightly flare up and put his hand on his pouch. I then clearly showed them a map. I pointed at where they stood.

"You are currently here. The grand lake of Noko is here and the Uchiha compound, of at least 3 months ago, stands here," I say, pointing out to these different locations. Tobirama looked at the map quickly and then looked back at me while the other Senju took a bit more time to understand that. "This means, if you head this way you'll get to Noko. And if you head this way, you'll be at the Uchiha," I said, pointing to other directions. Tobirama simply stared at me while the other Senji obliviously looked around himself. He nodded to himself, as if making a plan.

"You are looking down on us," Tobirama growled as I took away the map. I raised an eyebrow. "Maybe. Now leave before we finish you three off." He glared at me and walked off while the other Senju thanked me. I nodded and I told my comrades to go back as I made sure then Senju properly left.

Yes, it would be bad if Tobirama died.

* * *

Response to reviews:

 **fixerbacta** : thank you for all your reviews! You really make me think :)  
 **eagle0108** : heheh, as you can see, I've implemented your idea! It was a really good idea, and it's definitely gonna pop up every once in a while!  
 **Heart** : heheh, thank you for your review ^^  
 **serus black antihumannature** : thank you ^^  
 **Dreamy-Girl2016** : thank you! And yes, she will fall in love with Tobirama, but that comes in later!  
 **korohoshi** : yeah, I really wanted to show some of the brutality of war.. thank you! :)

* * *

Man I am sooo tired! BUT, very exciting stuff happening next chapter! VERY VERY!

Anyways, small summary?  
Yasu's back and she's all good now, except she probably has very nasty scars now.  
Her snapping is actually the activation of the Eight Gates, interestingg  
She talked with the Akimichi, founds a few Shimura tailing them and saw that they were spying the Akimichi for some time and they had Sharigan eyes with them.  
Later, she gives them to Madara and helps end a fight.  
Weeks later, she spots Tobirama and other Senju harmed near the clan boundaries. She helps them find their way back home, and this officially marks the first time Yasu and Tobirama meets!

Next chapter's gonna come out soon, cause things are gonna be more fun! ^^

11 - June - 2018

Tsuki


	9. Characters

Characters

* * *

There are so many characters that I need to manage. Here is what's up with all of them. If you ever see a name that you don't recognize or remember, here's the list.  
This list will be continuously updated, so it upholds characters up until the latest chapters.

Note: ages correspond to chapter 8

Alright, so for canon characters:

 **Uchiha Madara** : Current head of Uchiha clan, he's 24 years old.

 **Senju Hashirama** : About to be the head of the Senju clan, his father's ill. He's also 24 years old.

 **Senju Tobirama** : Brother of Hashirama, he's 22 years old.

So now for OC's:

 **Kireha Yasu** : Right hand of Kireha leader, supposedly future leader. She is the prodigy of the clan. She is 23 years old.

 **Kireha Soke** : Prodigy at making weapons in the Kireha clan. He's a close friend of Yasu. He's the older brother of Koke. He is 18 years old.

 **Kireha Keno** : The leader of the Kireha clan. An old man who is serious when needed but just a lazy fart when not needed. He is Kin's twin.

 **Kireha Kin** : The master swordsman of the Kireha clan, he now teaches the ways of the Kireha ninja's to the youth and to others. He is Keno-sama's twin.

 **Kireha Shouta** : Yasu's older brother. He is a retired ninja who was fatally injured and now has to stay within the clan borders. He is 28 years old.

 **Kireha Fupo** : Kopu's younger brother, currently Yasu's right hand man

 **Kireha Rotu/Roku** (yeah I saw and I've messed up his name a couple times): A strong shinobi, he is Keno-sama's diplomat. He has strong opinions and wants to do what is best for the clan, even if he is very headstrong.

 **Kireha Mimi** : Yasu's dead grandmother, killed by invaders.

The elite squad killed by the Shimura:

 **Kireha Kopu** (Yasu's previous right hand woman and close friend. Fupo's older sister)  
 **Kireha Fucho** (Tenso's older brother. A quiet person)  
 **Kireha** **Omo** (friendly, cheeky woman, always bickering with Daru. Was supposed to marry Daru)  
 **Kireha Daru** (friendly, protective man, always bickering with Omo. Was supposed to marry Omo)  
 **Kireha Juno** (a young ninja, too young.)  
Five others

The kid squad:

 **Kireha Tenso** (Fucho's younger brother, now very determined to become stronger)  
 **Kireha Remu** (captured and killed by the Shimura, making Yasu snap)  
 **Kireha Koke** (young and wants to become like his older brother, Soke)  
 **Kireha Aya** (cute girl that is scared of weird looking rocks but would usually win fights against Tenso)  
 **Kireha Sue** (a girly name for a boy, but he is very brave and really wants to do this red beast thing)

 **Akimichi Chochuko** : The Akimichi's clan current leader

 **Akimichi Chun** : An Akimichi squad leader

 **Nara Shikaro** : Apparently Yasu's savior after the Shimura ordeal

 **Shimura Kosotsuko** (or Kototsuko, yeah I also messed up his name sometimes): Yasu's main, worst torturer from the Shimura ordeal


	10. Chapter 9

The Letter

* * *

Three years had passed and I've more or less waited my whole life for this moment. For the moment we would receive The Letter. But first, two major things had happened in these past three years. Namely: the decreasing battles that lead to people speculating that the war was ending, and Kin's death.

It was hard to be happy about the end of the war when a father figure dies in front of you.

Two years after I had been freed from the Shimura, I was sent with a team to meet the Ruro clan. They were known for their quick wit, but also for their precious, adequate skills in weaponry. So Keno-sama had been absolutely delighted when I mentioned that the Ruro had reached a Yamanaka who reached the Kireha about a possible ally contract. So I had gathered a team of ninjas to a meeting point, a four days travel away from the clan compound. Kin was with me, as was Fupo and Roku. When we were approaching the area, we realized we dwelled in the area too deeply when I sensed an Uchiha two kilometers away from us. "We are being ambushed by the Uchiha's," I had said while putting a calm demeanor. I didn't have to panic, but this was less than ideal. If they've gotten this close to us without me noticing, it definitely meant this ambush was for us.

We'd only be told after the battle, when we met up with a Yamanaka, that they had an intruder within their clan and that a Ruro had killed a dozen of them. The Yamanaka and the Kireha had been duped, fair as square.

But four Kireha wasn't enough for six Uchiha with a Madara and a dozen of Roru. In all honestly, the Kireha squad should have died then. We were outnumbered, it was simple math. I had a small sick sense of humor when I had noticed Madara was there. How many times had I seen Madara…? More than I should have. But the fact that he would go so far to kill me off, because if there is a reason why he pulled this whole plan and whole ambush was purely to kill me, definitely. It was laughable at how desperate he was to kill me off.

That poor bastard.

And I had actually smirked. My comrades had given me some weird looks. I did let out a small chuckle. But it wasn't because I thought it was pathetic that Madara would do so much to kill me. No, it was because it ironic. There I was, thinking he was pathetic when he should have killed me and my comrades.

I had trained my gates for that moment, so I didn't waste any time and unlocked it until the fifth gate. The most I could do was five gates or all eight gates, no in between. I could tell it surprised Madara, since I had greatly outdone him with my speed. But it didn't last for very long. I had wiped out half of the Roru clan squad and one of the Uchiha until Madara slammed me, it was a lucky strike, with his gunbai to the ground. I knew it was his sharingan doing most of the work, not his actual skills, so my ego wasn't that hurt.

But it did crack a few bones in me and I started to become slower and slower. Before I knew it, I was standing next to a bloody Fupo who was missing an ear, a wheezing Roku who was missing his right forearm and eye, and lastly a tired and slightly scratched Kin. "We're not going to make it," I distinctly remember saying to them. Fupo stayed silent while Roku grunted. Kin was eyed the enemies, who retreated for a brief moment to take in what to do and the damage that was done. Kin had then stood up and looked at me. I was becoming weaker by the second, the Gates effect slowly wearing off me and it was becoming more painful to stand by the second.

"I'm going to unleash the red beast."

The three of us looked at him and we all didn't say a word. I could sense the sadness, guilt and remorse rolling out of Fupo's chakra. I could sense the guilt, the anger and the reluctance seeping out of Roku's chakra. And I could feel pure determination from Kin. Fupo, Roku and I didn't protest. We wouldn't dare to shame his bravery, pride and heroism. But my heart was cracking. I didn't care and I walked to Kin and hugged him as tightly as possible.

"Thank you Kin, you were like a father to me and you taught me all your ways. Please remember I am forever with you, be it in life or in death… thank you."

He smiled in my hair and hugged me back. It was the calm inside the battle. Everything seemed to still. Once we let go of each other, Roku bowed to Kin and pulled out a container. "Kin-sama, let us please remember you and make you rest with the other fallen Kireha," Roku said. Kin nodded and put his hand to the opening of the container and pulsed chakra out of his hand until the container was filled with blue chakra. Roku nodded and the two men both shared a look.

"It was an honor." Roku stayed by my side and Fupo then stepped in front of Kin. He went to one knee and bowed to the master swordsman. "Thank you for all Kin, we shall forever remember you and your teachings will never be erased." Fupo then stood up and stood to my left. I was in the middle and we all bowed to Kin who bowed back.

We then looked at each other, our masks void of emotion.

Finished with goodbyes, we all turned towards the enemy at the same time. "We shall distract them while you prepare, best of luck sensei," and those were my last words to him when I went to fight with the last of my energy to the Uchiha. It didn't take four minutes until I felt the huge spike of chakra from Kin. I quickly signed to Fupo and Roku and they both nodded. It was time to retreat. Kin and I had a parting look. It wasn't a goodbye, it never was. It was a mere sad parting, but we'd see each other again.

We retreated without looking back.

The clan was devastated with the news and we held a ceremony for him by the grand tree, Seishin. It was the grand tree of Kireha, where all the Kireha, all our ancestors put their chakra in to show we value their lives. Chakra is fused in the tree, making the tree quite strong. Chakra is fused with the tree at the earliest age a Kireha member can (it officially marked the start of ninja-hood in Kireha) and chakra is fused when the person is dying, when possible.

Keno-sama had taken the container that had Kin's chakra and he fused it with the tree. He stayed there for two days, meditating by the tree. The chakra, the last essence of his brother was now part of the tree. The tree was both loved and hated, but most than all, it was honored and it was our pride.

Who knew a damned tree would be so painful to look at.

X

It was ten months later when the rumors went around that the Senju and the Uchiha somehow formed a permanent truce and were now creating a village together. Kireha was mainly weirded out by the turns of events. The strongest clans that hated each other… were now, suddenly, friends? It was too good and too weird.

Two months later, the Akimichi, Yamanaka and Nara were invited and the three accepted. The Nara confirmed to the Kireha that we would be getting an invitation, but later, since we were powerful compared to other clans. I suppose we have rivaled against the Uchiha. In any case, the Kireha had bid the three clans good luck.

Four months after that and we received The Letter.

X

The birds were chirping happily. Soke had finished bothering me with his latest projects. Ever since we've moved to the mountains, there was a huge supply of metal and a good amount of the special chakra sucking metal. He was quite happy for two years until we've run out and had to search for more. I was called to see Keno-sama, hopefully for not what I thought it was.

Ever since I've returned from the Shimura ordeal, he's been dropping less than subtle hints that he wants me to be the next Kireha leader. It stopped for a month after Kin's death, but after that he has dropped the whole subtle phase and straight up asked me to be the next leader. It was an honor. And honor that I had to refuse because good lord, I can't be a leader. A squad leader, yes. An actual clan leader, the head of a whole clan? I can fight well, but I cannot talk for shit and everyone knows that. Yet, he is insistent.

"No- Keno-sama- no. No, I decline. Thank you, but no. Once again and always," I crossed my arms at the two men in front of me. Keno-sama, once again, tried to convince me of being something ridiculous. Roku stayed by Keno-sama sighed, dying in the inside by this. Yes, it's annoying. But he can't complain because Roku actually agreed with Keno-sama.

"My days are few Yasu, I do not have much time left. Kireha trusts you, without you, we'd be destroyed by the Uchihas and Shimura." It was bizarre, our clan seemed to attract the worst kind of people. "Then Roku should become the leader. He is strong and is great at talking and solving things," I responded bluntly.

I don't know how many times I've had this talk with the two of them and it was getting tedious. I was not interested in politics and economies. As weird as it sounds, I am perfectly happy being a pawn. I know what I am doing is for the best, so I was fine with that. "We both know that that is not feasible," Keno-sama said. I let out an annoyed sigh and started to lean on one leg. Roku did lose a hand and an eye, it made protecting and writing a lot harder.

Suddenly, I felt a foreign signature come in my sphere of chakra sensing… a bird… an owl. A messenger owl. Who in the world uses messenger owls? In broad daylight? I stayed quiet for a moment as Roku talked with Keno-sama, and I focused on the owl. It didn't seem to be holding any chakra scrolls, I can't detect any sort of chakra on it, except for the owl itself. But then again, it may be from the Uzumaki, and Uzumaki can hide chakra quite well when they use fuijustsu. And who knows what they do to coat their birds and paper with.

"One moment." I excuse myself promptly and immediately head towards this owl. It was about 5 km away from the clan compound, and I whistled at it once I was under it. It flew down. I held my arm out and internally praised myself for having worn bandages on my arms. It latched onto my bandaged arm and took the scroll from it and inspected it. No chakra… but, maybe a brief chakra signature? From what though, it's mostly gone because of the owl's chakra. "Shoulder," I commanded the bird to which it seemed to do so and it sat on my shoulder.

I opened the scroll.

My eyes widened.

Finally.

The Letter.

X

Keno read it out to the selected people around the room, which included me and Roku and a few others. I could tell everyone felt conflicted. If this was a trap, if it was real. But most importantly, if this idea is possible.

 _To the Kireha clan,_

 _The Senju and Uchiha clan has founded a shinobi village named Konoha. To stop this war and finally gain some calm on the lands, we have decided that forming treaties with clans and villages would be extremely beneficial. Currently, the Nara, Sarutobi, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Hyuuga, Shimura and Uzumaki clans are under our surveillance and are living in our village. We are still in contact with other clans, such as the Aburame, Inuzaka, Hatake and Hoki clan._

 _Our plan is to join forces with as many clans, to show we can live together in peace and to give each other strength._

 _If you agree, please let us know. We will assume you have disagreed if there is no response._

 _Senju Hashirama_

I can smell the wood of his from his letter.

"We shouldn't agree, they are crazy to be partnered up with the Uchihas!" one said, and suddenly, everyone joined in. I stayed quiet. They already have so many people with them. Kireha must have been a debated clan then. I put my hands to my chin, possibly Madara with his mindless blabbing. That man is a good leader, but he is too easily swayed.

"Silence!" Keno-sama snapped. He was a kind man, but sometimes had thin patience. Now that I think about it… his patience thinned ever since Kin passed…

"I know the pro's and con's… let us evaluate, if you please," he sighs. Quickly, Roku steps up. "I am against leader. While this may be a trap, this 'dream' of theirs is far too unrealistic. To have this many clans with them will just cause uproars around the world, people will get more powerful and more people will be killed. We are best off to stay here and to let them do them." He has a fair point, with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd shinobi war to come… I squeeze my eyes shut. Memories of my previous life were hazy, but I had written them down somewhere do I knew more or less what would happen if the timeline followed accordingly.

People added to Roku's point, and no one said anything for. So I stepped up.

"I am for, leader-sama." I blinked at him and sighed.

"While Roku has a fair point, I think the benefits outweigh the negative. With 'Konoha', not only would we be safer, but it will be peaceful. It may be a false sense of peace in the beginning, but I truly believe that if all the clans there agreed for peace, it can be obtained. But there will be no doubt future wars. And if that is the case, I'd rather be with them than stay alone on this mountain."

The silence returned and people considered my point. Keno-sama dismisses us all and told us to come back the next day. He leaned back on his chair and let out a sigh. He didn't need to think on what to do. He smiled softly to himself when he heard my voice as I talked to Roku outside Keno-sama office. He'll follow the true leader and savior of the Kireha clan.

* * *

I'm back lol

Quick summary:  
Kin's dead, poor guy. Kireha received an invitation to live in Konoha!  
Oh and Keno-sama really wants Yasu to be the clan leader. Wonder if that's gonna work out...

So I AM BACK, and THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR AHHH  
So many things are gonna be happening now and I can't wait! ^^  
And yep, this is a shorter chapter. But this is a turning point, so eh

27 - July - 2018

Tsuki


	11. Announcement!

Hey guys!

So I decided to split up the story, because... well, this felt like a prologue and it's time for canon characters to really step in!

This story's title has changed from "The Kireha Clan" to "The Kireha Clan tome 1" -wow what a big change- so now, unsurprisingly, the second part is called "The Kireha Clan tome 2".

The newest chapter is already there, so you can check it out!

Should I tell you what you can expect..? Sure why not. Yasu's gonna officially meet the three, Hashirama, Madara and Tobirama. Yasu and Tobirama will talk often and there will be casual banter here and there. Pranks are a thing. And so are mood swings, which can turn out to be a great way to scare 'shinobi gods'.

Alright, enough haha

OH and sorry for the very late update. My bad.

Thank you so much for reading guys and see you in tome 2!

Cheers,  
Tsuki


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